DAYS OF JUDGEMENT
by FreddyBear
Summary: This story is about a group of survivors and the desperate struggle for survival seems to be a lost that was a really bad typo cause at first. Characters from the movie will initially only be side steps.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first publication. Just an idea on how Judgement day would appear to other survivors and how certain aspects of the war came about. For instance, why would machines place humans in death camps? Killing them outright would be just as effective, so somehow their resources had to be strained to the point where it would make sense. based solely on the movies.

Disclaimer;

I do not own the terminator verse. This story is written pure for enterainment purposes and no money whatsoever is being made on it. Also be aware that a naked chicken can't be plucked... :-)

Days of judgement

Jacob was sitting behind his desk in the office of the law firm where he worked. It was an expensive office, on the top level of a 29 story high building. Its windows filtered most of the suns rays out, and a thick luscious carpet covered the floor. The carpet would be great on bare feet. Jacob felt the carpet was a bit of a waste, as nobody would ever be barefooted in the office. Nonetheless, he liked it. Despite of the reactive glass his desk did not face the window but rather an expensive antique book cabinet filled with thick leather bound law books. He liked the look of those leather bound books and they would not distract him, as would the view outside. His desk was neatly ordered with a red-letter tray for his high priority work and a blue tray for the every day run o' the millwork.

At six foot four Jacob was a tall muscular man. In his college days he used to be a member of the wrestling team. Not much of the muscle he had developed in those days had turned to fat. When he started at the firm he had taken up karate to keep his mind and body focused, he had never stopped his habit of meditating in the morning. His hair was receding but still his natural colour. He'd had his eyes lasered to correct a slight eye problem so he didn't need glasses anymore. His sharp chiselled features, gave him a rather classical face.

Right now, he was working on a high profile case in which a well-known actor was accused of having murdered his ex-wife. It was a tough case, every bit of evidence pointed to the guy. Well maybe the way out was to see if the cops had slipped somewhere along the line, feeling that the evidence was so strong that they had cut some corners. It did not matter to Jacob whether his client was guilty or not, just that he paid.

As he was looking at his laptop, he reminisced about his own estranged wife who lived in LA in the luxury apartment they used to live in together. He had moved to a house owned by the company on the other side of the hills closer to the office. He was not the killer type but he remembered the bitter divorce, the emotions had run sky high and he could sympathise a bit with his client. However, that sympathy only went so far. The guy had brutally murdered his wife with a wood chopper. The leather gloves he had been wearing had been soaked with blood. Jacob shuddered and wondered if he was going to let his client get of the hook. No Jacob was not a violent man this client was incomprehensible to him.

Suddenly a bright flash that the costly reactive glass could not entirely filter out drew his attention. Now he stared out of the window. His mouth fell open as he saw a sight he had never expected to see. A Mushroom cloud was forming above the hills in the direction of LA. As he realized what that meant a silly rhyme out of his youth flashed through his head "Duck and Cover" Jacob wasted no time in wondering if it would be futile instead he dove under his desk.

Not a moment to soon as Jacob curled up into a tight ball the blast wave hit the window and that very expensive window facing blew into a million glistering pieces scattering all over his office. A very dry heat filled his room everything in view of the now empty windows darkened, blistered and smouldered in the heat. Fortunately, nothing got to a flashpoint. The sound which accompanied the shock wave was incredible, a mixture of a tremendous roar and an incredibly loud explosion, it shook Jacob to the centre of his bones. After the sound died down everything was deadly quiet. The lights flickered once and died down as the power was cut somewhere along the line. Slowly Jacob got up and walked to the door. The sound of his shoes crunching the broken glass was at first incredible loud to his ears. As he pushed the door open, he heard the sound of people sobbing and crying. As he walked down the hall other, people stumbled out of their offices.

Jacob moved through the now darkened hallways of the building. Everybody was headed to the elevators but Jacob realized that they wouldn't work due to the power outage. Instead he went for the emergency stairways. Opening the door to the stairwell he started making his way down. As he started descending the stairs he noticed smoke coming from beneath the doors, obviously something had caught fire and the fire was spreading. Now the battery powered fire alarms went of. The blaring sound of the alarms got people thinking straight again and more people went to the stairways. As the fire escape opened on the 18th floor Jacob saw a flickering red light in the back accentuating the shadowy shapes of several people stumbling into the stairwell. In the background he could hear the crackling of the fire and the sharp whoosh of fire extinguishers as people tried to fight the flames. By the time Jacob reached the first floor he was a part of a mass of people stumbling into the dark and now windowless front lobby. There was no evidence of the touch of the heatwave here as the lower levels where protected by the shadow of several hills that lay in the direction of LA.

But what had happened was obvious the shockwave had passed through here and most of the windows where destroyed. Trees that where higher up the hill side where ablaze, the sky was already being darkened by dark storm clouds that seemed to be growing in size. As he looked on, lightning started to flash in the distance and thunder rumbled ominously. What was worse was that he could see several pillars of cloud rising to the skies marking other nuclear strikes. Jacob thought it must be an all-out nuclear war, which was disturbing the iron curtain had come down, and tension between the nuclear powers in the world had eased up. What on earth had happened?

Jacob pushed his way through the mass out into the open air. He looked for his car, but as he tried to open it with his electronic key it wouldn't. The EMP from the blast had reached here and destroyed the electronics. He wasn't going to get anywhere with his luxurious Jag. Swearing he thought about what to do next. His house was on the other side of the hills. Judging by the smoke coming from that direction it was a no brainer that it would be on fire. So he had to start thinking what to do next. This place was right on the edge of the city. There where some other offices close by but they where in the same shape as his office, which was largely on fire.

He thought about what would happen next, he realized that soon there would be fallout falling and that the survivors would need to get under shelter. Picking up a stone he smashed the window of his car. Some people looked at him in shock he smiled apologetically and said "what? It's my own car." He had a bottle with water in his car which he took, a packet of energy bars still contained two of them. He also took a first aid bag, rather than a hard cover case this kit was more an army pouch which could be slung over the shoulder. He stuffed his supplies in the kit bag and started to work on getting his car trunk from the inside. With a little effort he managed to get into his car trunk where he had a couple of sturdy walking boots which he kept there in case his car brook down. He didn't want to get any dirt on his Gucci shoes. It started to rain, and realizing this would be radioactive he staid in his car for the moment.

Sitting in his car he thought about his first move. He knew there was a small abandoned barn a few miles up the road. This rain should stop pretty soon and before the main fallout started to fall he should get there. Maybe he could hole up there for a day or so and wait until the fallout had fallen, he didn't know if it would do any good of course. He figured it would be better than standing in the open while the fallout fell. What would he do after the initial day, where could he go? He remembered a friend of his who was a bit of a survivalist and had a ranch some miles further up into the hills. It would mean a trek of several days on foot. He would need to pick up some stores in some of the small towns on the way. If he could get to his friends place he could then start on planning from there.

As soon as the rain stopped he set out for the barn, he decided that a quick jog would be the best pace. As he quickly jogged ahead, he passed several people who had kept on walking in the rain. He realized that those people would probably be the first to succumb to radiation sickness. Decease would soon strike the few survivors and places with large concentrations of people wouldn't be the most healthy place to be in. That thought made him think of getting to his friends farm all the faster. After a quarter of an hour's jog he reached the barn. He was just in time; ash started drifting down from the sky which was still boiling with dark clouds and lightning flashes as he twisted the door open.

It was a rather large two storey affair which had belonged to an old farm which had stood a little further away. The farm had been burned down during a storm a few years ago and as the farmer and his wife had perished in the flames it had not been rebuild. The barn was empty save for some old farming equipment and decaying hay which lay on the floor. Something furry scurried away as he shuffled some hay into a pile under a overhanging second storey floor. The wind which had picked up and blew fiercely around the barn whistling and singing as it passed through cracks in walls. He covered the hay with an old tarmac and started looking for some wood to light a small fire in an oil drum, at least he would be warm and dry tonight. As the wind howled outside he settled in for the night.

Charlie was enjoying his day off, relaxing in his basement. He was studying the item on his workbench with a look of utter concentration. He was making a new lure for the weekend trip. This one was going to be worth a million bucks, he knew it for sure. Scattered about him on the bench and on a chair next to him where all kinds of pliers, reels of line, bits of metal, bits and pieces of coloured wires and of course his pride and joy the St. Croix Legend Elite fishing rod with Spinfisher SSg reel. This time his mates wouldn't laugh at him and he would catch the biggest fish that was as sure as judgement day.

Charlies name was actually Carloz but when he gotten to school his friends couldn't pronounce it and turned it to Charlie. He was a small man not five foot ten of Mexican descent. Not a very athletic man he was still very slim. He was a talented mechanic with a knack for making almost anything run like new with minimal tools. At 32 he was very happy with his life a loving wife, two kids and a band of loyal friends. They had a nice house in a new suburb, it wasn't big but it was theirs.

He could hear his wife and youngest son playing up stairs, laughing and running around. His eldest son was at school and would be back in an hour or so. Maybe he should take him along. He was nine and he would love to go fishing with his dad. Still Charlie's friends probably would not like that very much. Steve was the only one who had kids as well. Charlie determined that it might be a good idea to go on a trip with just Steve and the kids next time. However, not this time he could already taste the beer and smell that roasted fish.

Charlie thought he heard screams coming from above and he started to move towards the door. Suddenly the screams where abruptly cut of, the earth shook as if an earthquake had hit. Then a tremendous roaring and rumbling came from above and suddenly all the lights went out. Dust came from the ceiling and he started coughing. He tried to open the door but it was jammed, blocked solid from the outside. No matter what he tried he couldn't get the door open. From above came a strange crackling sound and gradually the cellar started to get warm. Stumbling in the darkness, he found his way back to his workbench. Fumbling in the drawers of his tool cabinet, he found his flashlight and thanked god that he had remembered to change the batteries only last week, the remaining batteries in the new package still in the drawer. He turned it on and sighed with relieve. Having a light was a heaven sent in this darkness. With an afterthought he put the reserve batteries in his pockets, not wanting to risk having to look for them in the dark.

Flicking his light over the now dark and brooding tomblike cellar he could see the dust starting to settle down. Occasionally something crashing down from above would set of a new shower of dust causing Charlie to wheeze and cough. He had to admit it was getting stuffy in the cellar. When a new crash from above set of a new dust shower he noticed that the dust shifted sideways in stead of just falling straight down. He now noticed a faint draft, despite the stuffiness of the air. As he held his free hand to the ceiling he noticed that it was warm to the touch. He then realized that the house above him must be on fire. He hoped that his wife and youngest sun had gotten out but somehow he doubted that. Whatever had happened had happened fast and suddenly, and he remembered the way their screams had been cut short.

Fighting back his tears he now desperately began to look for a way out of the cellar. It was then that he noticed the old coal chute doors. As fast as he could he made his way over the debris of a lifetime which stood in his way. Boxes with his old college stuff, the furniture he and Janet bought for their first home. He disregarded everything to get to the doors. But as he got close to the doors he saw that smoke was swirling around the cracks in the wood, getting sucked out into the open air beyond. Also he noted a red-light coming through those cracks. Whatever was happening upstairs was big enough to cause the fire to spread out over the coal cellars doors. Moving backwards away from the coal chute door he tripped over an uneven bit in the floor. Flailing wildly with his arms he went down with a curse smashing old mementos as he went down. He sat on the floor cursing a little more before he started wondering what he had tripped over.

A thought kept nagging at him, wasn't there an old water main or something down here? Retrieving his flashlight which fortunately hadn't been broken he looked at the floor where he had tripped. Now he could see that is was a bit of mismatched concrete that also stuck out a bit. He remembered there had been a leakage in the cellar a few years ago. They had a devil of a time repairing it with a pump that had been used to pump out the rain water. It had been raining heavily for days and that was when the cellar had started to fill with water. The plumber they had called had explained to them that the house had been build over an old existing sewage pipe and that pipe had been filled with overflow water from the water drains and the pressure had finally cracked the old sewer. Normally the water would be really low and the problem shouldn't happen again. He did tell them to keep a close eye on his repairs if there was an exceptionally heavy rainfall. Now the concrete that had been used to repair the leak had been cracked again. A steady draft of air was flowing through it.

Stumbling in the half dark he went to his work bench and retrieved some tools and just as an afterthought some extra batteries for his flashlight. Using a sledgehammer he quickly started breaking the cement over the repaired crack. Swinging the sledgehammer like a maniac he broke through the cement in short order. As he did so more fresh air was drawn through the crack feeding the flames above and causing the doors of the coal chute to burst into flame. Charlie kept hammering away at the edge of the crack, now lit by the flickering light of the burning doors as well. As more combustibles in the cellar started to burn he squeezed into the crack as soon as it was wide enough. The air was rushing pass him as he desperately squeezed through. Finally he fell a few feet down into the sludge of the old sewer.

He found that the sewer was high enough for him to stand in albeit bending over a bit. Luckily he had managed to hold onto his flashlight and quickly flicked over the walls. The sewer was old, having been disused for some time and a new sewage system had been in place since the new houses where built. Water flowed swiftly downstream cascading over small barriers where bricks had fallen from the old walls and ceilings that partially blocked the stream. The flow of air seemed to be coming from upstream so he slowly made his way in that direction. The sewer seemed to go on and on and on.

It became obvious to him that some big disaster was happening. Every now and again the earth trembled and rivulets of dust, debris and bricks fell from the ceiling. He was becoming increasingly worried that the tunnel would completely collapse. After what seemed like hours of stumbling in the dimly lit tunnel he noticed it was beginning to get smaller. As he continued on he soon had to start crawling instead of walking on his hands and feet. Because he was now on all four he had to stick his flashlight in his belt. The movement of the light making his passage seem even eerier than before. After a short while he decided to turn of the light. The odd light show from the light disturbing him more than anything else. He also thought it would be good to save the batteries, despite having an extra set in his pockets. Before he did so he paused and played the flashlight over the tunnel walls. He could see no change in the tunnel in the gloom. So he turned it off and started to crawl once again.

The going was now even slower in the pitch darkness of the tunnel, carefully feeling with his hands before putting any weight on them. He wasn't willing to risk any major wounds to his hands just yet. As it was he often stubbed his fingers on stones and rubble in the dark. Just as he was beginning to wonder if he wouldn't be able to get out this way and would have to make his painful way downstream he noticed a reddish light up ahead. He had no idea how much time had passed but he reckoned it must be night time. So the light must be coming from a fire. In the end it did become a tight squeeze but he did get out. He thought he had crawled for miles in reality he now saw that it had been considerably less than two. He found himself in an old open flood drain when he came out. The bricks where covered with hot muddy ash where the vegetation witch had overgrown the drain had been burned away. As he slowly got up, his joints creaking from the abuse of crawling for such a long time. He noticed that the night sky was lit by a fiery red light. Every where he looked he saw flames rising to the night sky where no stars where to be seen. The heavens where completely covered by dark clouds of billowing smoke. Every now and again some structure that had somehow remained upright collapsed sending a storm of fiery sparks into the blackness of the sky. The city had been totally obliterated, any hope he had for the survival of his family, even his oldest boy at school now left him. Weeping bitterly he fell to the ground.

He didn't know how long he stayed there crying for his lost family. But after a while he wearily got to his feet and turned his back on the smoking ruins of the city. He made his way through the dark by the hellish illumination provided by the burning buildings and vegetation. At times he had to navigate pass the burning remains of car wrecks as he gradually left the suburbs behind him for a more rural area. As he trudged along he became aware that the air was becoming full of ash falling from the dark night sky.

Just then he came on the ruins of a bridge. On top of the bridge where several burnt out car wrecks which had been moved as if by a giant hand to one side of the bridge. In some places they had broken through the balustrade and some still hung on bits of twisted metal to the side of the bridge others had toppled over. Underneath the bridge a small stream ran through a shallow depression. A pickup truck lay on its side partially blocking the stream. The water had quenched the fire in the wreckage so it was relatively intact.

Charlie first checked the cabin, the driver hadn't survived; in fact the cabin was such a mess that he started throwing up and didn't stop till his stomach contents where completely gone. After he had recovered from the shock he checked the back of the pickup. It had been converted into a caravan. The left side had been a sleeping and sitting area and was now partially underwater. The doors and covers of the cabinets on the right hung loose, and the contents lay in the water and on top of the sides of the bed, its matrass and covers and the cabinets that where still above water. Rummaging In the remains of the van he discovered a pack of bottled water, a camping stove and some canned food. Piling them on top op a chest which had broken loose and was now wedged between the bed cabinets.

Among the remnants of a cupboard which had probably contained memorabilia judging by the dolls and other touristy things he found an old fashioned World War two vintage Webley revolver which apparently had been lovingly cared for in a special case. Judging by the ammunition which was in the case it still worked as well. Stuffing the gun in his pocket with the spare ammunition he looked around. He judged that he had everything still usable for him from the wreckage. Placing the smaller items of his finds on a blanket he rolled it into a huey using a belt from a ladies bag to tie the ends together. The larger items like the small stove he places in a carry all, he then crawled out of the wreckage. After a moments deliberation he decided to make his camp under the bridge for now, it would keep him dry for the moment and he didn't expect flash floods just yet.

With some dry, washed up wood which lay in a jumble beneath the bridge he started a small fire using his lighter. Sipping some water from one of the water bottles he looked out in the direction of the city. Judging by the lack of helicopters, even from news networks this was really big. Fires still crackled in the distance and a strong wind was blowing to the city sucking in oxygen to feed the fires. He hadn't seen anybody else as if whatever had happened had been far too quick for anybody to react to. He had thought at first that it had been an earthquake but while the earth had shook it didn't feel like a quake. And the fires didn't have the same feeling, for one thing everything had been scorched even walls but mainly on one side. That suggested that the source of the fire had been from one central point radiating out. As he sat here by his fire he began to doze off, finally succumbing to the bone weariness that permeated through his whole body he fell asleep.

George had come into to the factory that morning feeling it would be a terrible day. He was right even though the day had started out fine. One of the secretaries had baked an apple pie and everybody had dropped by for a piece of it. It had been fun and despite his feeling of apprehension, George had relaxed and had started hitting on the secretary, a cute redhead. Apparently, she liked him as much as he liked her, judging by her playful answers to his innuendos. As soon as he had returned to his desk in his office cubicle, however things had gone from bad to worse. It started with all kinds of computer trouble. All the computers went dead and then restarted themselves. The PC's kept acting up after that, they did not respond to commands etc. Of course the guys on the helpdesk where just as clueless as the rest, complaining that they where having the exact same problems and then blaming some virus for all the troubles. Then some dimwit had spilled coffee over his shirt and now he was staring at a hardcopy memo about equipment that really shouldn't have been ordered. As he glossed over the memo he at first felt very glum, now he was starting to get irate. Two whole shiploads of CPU's, modems and other computer supplies for which they had no use whatsoever and no clue to who had ordered them. OK Cars where automated further and further but this was ridicules. Then there was a shipment of Kevlar armour plating, what where they supposed to do with that? And, strangest of all, after he had been checking the order books he found that someone had ordered weapons grade steel. He wasn't a chemist so he didn't notice the orders for chemicals which had nothing to do with the production of cars.

His boss had also sent him an angry memo asking who had halted the work on the restructuring of the new assembly line for the new models. George hadn't been aware of that. As far as he could tell, work had continued. He distinctly remembered seeing flashes of welders coming through the screens, which they had put up to shield the workers from the noise. But apparently someone had sent the construction company an email stating that their services weren't required anymore. Of course, the foreman had complained but the email with the complaint had never reached him. He decided to first check out where those stores had gone and who had ordered them; they could restart the halted work when he chose to. Use of the wrongs materials in the cars however, could cause a major recall. That could potentially cost millions of dollars in revenue and administration. Then there where the lawsuits that could be filled against them costing even more.

However, before he had even put on his jacket, Paul one of the shop stewards barged into his office. "Boss" he said "you'd better come and check this out. That damned virus got into the manufacturing line as well. We got all kinds of shit which we can't make head of tale of coming from the line!" George looked at him and groaned. "Do you mean that the production line alpha is producing stuff for gamma again?" Asked George wearily, last week some of the production lines had started producing parts that another production line should produce. Once again, those clever dicks of the IT department hadn't been able to pinpoint the problem; it had sorted itself out in the end so George had been satisfied. "No Boss, It's like somebody reprogrammed the lines to produce something completely different." The shop steward said.

As they stepped out into the factory hall George shuddered, on the one hand this factory was a marvel on the other hand it could be very eerie. Automated trucks moved parts between the lines and huge animated steel arms took the parts from the trucks and placed them on different assembly lines where they where being assembled into cars. The human staff was reduced to maintenance, control and administrative functions. Strictly speaking, even that wasn't necessary but it would have been too much of a hassle to lay everybody off. At first glance, everything seemed to be fine, but then he noticed that the parts did seem to be odd. He took a closer look at some plating that came of one of the assembly lines. It wasn't a shape he recognized; no matter how hard he tried he couldn't place it in his mind on any model car that the factory produced. It also appeared to be thicker and heavier than usual despite being smaller than other parts produced here. As he turned, he nearly got knocked over by one of the trucks, he and Paul managed to jump out of the way just in time. Cursing he wondered how that was possible. The trucks where supposed to have detectors that would prevent just that from happening.

As they proceeded along the line he noted that it really wasn't just random objects that where being made. Gradually he realized that it was some kind of tracked vehicle that was being made. The plating he had seen previously protected the main body of a vehicle that reminded him a bit of Johnny Five, the robot that always wanted input. In the distance he could see, that four of the machines where already heading to the final assembly area on their own treads. Moreover, a fifth one was just rolling of the line. As he walked along he suddenly remembered that Johnny Five was originally a military robot, now the strange orders for the Kevlar, weapons grade steel and other materials swam into focus in his head. He realized someone had ordered those materials and reprogrammed his entire factory to produce some sort of automated weapons. As he realized this, he turned and started running to the control booth. "Terrorists" he said to Paul. "Goddamned terrorist have seized the factory and are going to use it to attack the United States."

Paul thought his boss had gone mad because of this outcry but still followed him. George turned to him and said, "We have to shut the plant down now! Start shutting it down while I call the police someone has reprogrammed our factory!" They headed towards one of the control booths which where placed around the factory from where they could operate the machines. Before they reached the booth however they heard a rattling sound heading towards them. In horrid fascination, they stopped to look as from between the machines at the end of the assembly line a Johnny Five appeared. Shocked they realized it had two Gatling guns fixed to a sort of arm stumps. Baleful red receptors where alight in a small rotund head giving it a dangerous and evil, and worse, cunning look. The machine spotted them and stopped in its tracks. Its twin guns swivelled into firing position. Just as it was about to fire something closer to it attracted its attention. A mechanic who had been trying to fix one of the assembly lines walked out between two machines. As he did so, the Gatling guns opened fire and tore him to bits. Startled out of their shock George and Paul started to run.

Running between the machines they saw one of the transporters coming toward them. As it sensed them it increased its speed, trying to drive them down. "Shit" George thought. "Every machine in here must be controlled by the terrorists." At that moment another transport came at them forcing George and Paul to run close to one of the machine arms. Just as George figured they where safe the huge metal arm swung into motion grabbing Paul by an arm. An automated welding arm swiftly moved out and before George could act the arc of the welder was turned onto the screaming technicians face. At that moment, one of the Johnny Fives came around a corner. Sensing there was nothing he could do for Paul anymore he dove beneath the assembly line just as the twin Gatling guns opened fire. As he scrambled beneath the machine, a welding arm lit up mere centimetres from his arm just missing him with a deadly swipe. All the time the conveyer belt above him continued to move. A wild blast from the Gatling gun sent a ricochet underneath the belt grazing his left calf.

In the background, George could hear the sound of his co-workers being slaughtered by the machines. The continuous sound of the Gatling guns mingled with the horrified screams creating a cacophony of sound. George scrambled on trying to keep one eye on the equipment, which either tried to grab him, spear him or burn him and the other eye on the Johnny Five. The machines where having a hard time following him. Several times machine equipment obviously swept under the conveyer belt in a random search effort. The Johnny Five in the meantime had started shooting at other targets. From underneath the machinery George saw a group of workers running into the row between the machines. A transport blocked their line of escape and a Johnny Five moved in for the kill. As he saw their bodies fall he noticed one of them was the redhead he'd been hitting on this morning. Her bright red hair covered with even darker red blood.

Thinking he might find refuge in the part of the factory that had been under reconstruction he slipped under the conveyer belt towards the cordoned off hall. After a desperate, few minutes of scrambling beneath dormant machines he slowly crawled toward a few crates. Easing himself up behind them he hoped nothing could see him. Carefully he peeked through a hole in the curtains that separated the restructured assembly line from the old one. Shocked he realized it was operational. As he watched a completed Johnny Five rolled away from the assembly line towards what appeared to be several modified transports. Instead of the normal small indoor wheels, someone had fixed several large tractor wheels to it. It also appeared to have a larger loading bay. He saw that a number of the robots he now called Johnny Fives where standing on the back of the transport. Cold fear gripped George as he realized how many there where and that they where apparently going to be sent out.

George lay still as the Johnny Five rolled by it was obvious it couldn't really sense him where he lay. The Johnny five and the transport moved away from the aisle and George quickly scampered to the next conveyer belt. None of the machinery reacted to him so he figured he hadn't drawn any attention. Slowly he crept to the end of the conveyer belt keeping as quiet as possible whenever he came close to an implement or moveable machinery. The path he had chosen brought him to the outer doors of the hall. Like most of the senior staff he parked his car close to the hall and he had his car keys with him. He saw some bodies lying still between machines and half finished cars. Taking his time, he spotted a Johnny Five standing in an alcove nearby the door. He hadn't noticed it at first because it was standing perfectly still. He saw that rather than looking inside the factory its attention was focused on the outside. But still it guarded his only route for escape. Desperately George looked around him, close by lay a heavy wrench. He looked at the machine. If he could hit it from the rear beneath its neck, maybe he could disable it and make his escape. Actually, the fact that his car was parked so close by came in extra handy he could also use the keys to create a diversion.

Taking care not to make a sound he picked up the wrench. Cautiously he slid from underneath the machines. Quickly he moved into the cover of a half finished car. Scanning around he felt sure he hadn't been noticed yet. He balanced the wrench on his shoulder with one hand and slid his other hand into his pocket where his key was. He pressed the open button and as the alarm lights went on, the Johnny five moved out of the alcove to inspect the car. Taking hold of the wrench with both hands he leaped at the machine and prayed the distraction was enough. In two bounds, he was at the machine. Swinging the wrench with all his might, anger and fear he hit the machine beneath its head just as it was turning to him. Its eyes glowed red with maliciousness as it saw him. For an instant, the guns moved like an involuntary twitch but the lights in its eyes faded and the head tilted to the side. He had damaged some vital connection. Dropping the wrench, he ran like a maniac to his car and practically tore the door open and jumped in. Quickly he started the engine just as another Johnny Five came out of the building. Gunning the engine to its maximum speed he tore away leaving a trail of smoking rubber as bullets sped after him. Bullets shattered his rear window but he wasn't hit as he went barrelling down the road. At the guard booth at the exit another Johnny Five turned out onto the road but couldn't brings it guns into position before Georges car hit it a glancing blow deflecting it away from him and completely throwing its aim of. The blow also nearly sent his car into a spin but as he had been expecting the collision he managed to control his car, and with hardly any loss of speed he broke through the boom across the road.

He was a proud believer. Mohammed was his prophet and Allah his God. The American infidels must pay for their support of the Zionists occupiers and their own corruptness. These thoughts raced through the head of young man as he surfed the net. Although he was very much a believer you wouldn't be able to see this. He wore faded jeans and a stained shirt like many other students. At parties he would drink alcohol; though not enough to get drunk less he slipped. But enough to show that he was fully a westerner.

His feeling of excitement grew. He had downloaded the newsletter as usual from the site. And as usual he had uploaded it to his PDA where a not so usual program was now rendering the pictures of the tapestries into text. Precise details of actions he and his cell where to perform where given. He had an assignment! Carefully he read the orders, according to the plans he was to coordinate an attack with the other members of his group. He was to hit the police stations, National Guard and Military sites and post offices. Virtually everything to cripple the Americans, except power stations and petrol stations he noticed, a strange omission. He calculated that he could increase the chaos by adding those to his list. He wondered if he should notify his leaders but decided against it. The original list could still be handled without really straining his resources and this he felt, was the kind of operational decisions he could make.

Long ago Ibrahim had decided against suicide attacks for his operatives could then take out multiple targets. Of course if the American Zionist agents should threaten capture his men where ordered to martyr themselves. He took out a city map whilst he considered the wisdom of taking out the power plants. The chaos would be complete if the power went out, the largest and newest power plant supplied energy to a set of new automated factories. Yes taking that out would be a huge blow to the economy of America. A large police station was located nearby so taking that out would be extremely important. Instead of using a car bomb he decided on an open attack on the station, it would be dangerous but most of his explosives would be used on other targets. He had less than a week to organize it but it should not be a problem. His men where well trained and most of the targets had been extensively studied by them. Quickly he posted a message on a message board, it looked very innocent but those who knew would read the summons in it and come to a prearranged meeting place.

A week later Ibrahim was looking at his watch, he was outside the police station that was close to the new power plant. It was close to the appointed hour. Just as he was going to step from behind the crates, which hid him and his fellow attackers, a patrol car cruised by quickly he stepped back into the shade. Had they seen him? Indecision gripped him, should he attack now or wait a few more minutes to be sure he had not been seen. Just as he decided they had avoided detection, he heard a low voice behind him say, "Freeze suckers! Drop your weapons now!" At that same moment several other heavily armed policemen came into view. Ibrahim looked at his fellow warriors, he nodded at them and as one they turned around and started shooting. However the Zionists had the drop on them and all his followers where shot before they could get of a round. Ibrahim managed to hit an officer but as he was wearing a bullet proof vest it didn't kill him but just stunned him. And then Ibrahims weapon jammed, a cop jumped up to him and pushed him to the ground. Before he could get to his grenade pouch the unbeliever had seized his arms and cuffed him.

Quickly he was searched and all his weapons where taken away from him. Then he was roughly pulled upright. He looked at the bodies of his comrades judging by the stillness of their bodies and the positions they where in he knew that they where in paradise. More cops had arrived and began processing the scene. Crying and cursing at his failure he was dragged to the nearby police station. But as they crossed the street an explosion could be heard and a ball of flames rose to the clear blue sky. Looking at the ball of flames he realized that the nearby powerplant had been hit. He screamed in joy "Allah U Akbar! Allah U Akbar! Allah U Urgh…" His cry of victory was cut short as one of the cops hit him with a baton in his stomach. He doubled over with pain and shock but he smiled nonetheless as he was manhandled into the station.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:

I do not own the terminator universe, this story is written purely for the enjoyment of me, the dog next door and whoever is mad enough to read this.

I hope you enjoy reading this just as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Chapter 2

George sped trough the gathering gloom of the afternoon. Storm clouds where gathering in the distance. As he got closer to the city, he noticed that there was a lot of traffic coming from the city and hardly any going in. He decided to go directly to the nearest police station. In the distance he could see several black pillars of smoke rising to greet the dark storm clouds which where forming. He guessed that the terrorists had struck elsewhere as well. Indeed as he got to the police station all hell appeared to have broken loose. Officers with automatic rifles and riot gear where milling about. When he asked for directions and officer pointed him towards the desk. The desk sergeant was a big African American. "I want to report something!" Yelled George above the din "It might sound like I'm a crackpot but you've got to believe me." The sergeant laughed, it was tired kind of laugh. Then the sergeant said, "Man, right now it doesn't make any difference. It can't get any crazier than this." "What do you mean? What's been happening?" George asked. "Haven't you heard, where you been, in a hole in the ground? World War three has started! Half the cities in the United States are gone! Just to make things worse terrorists have hit nearly every petrol station, bridge, power plant and police station in the city they could. They failed here but it was a close one, we got the guy in the cooler now." George was stunned. This was a major assault! "Well maybe what I've got to tell won't sound so strange after all." George said. He told the sergeant what had happened at the plant. Before the sergeant could reply, thunder roared in the sky.

It started to rain, but this wasn't an ordinary rain storm. A lieutenant who had served in the army rightly guessed what it was. "Quickly, everybody get inside!" He yelled. "It's fallout, radioactive rain!" The station became crowded. The lieutenant walked up to the desk and told the sergeant to try and get through to the patrol cars. The sergeant held up his hands in an apology to George and turned to the radio set. The officers where told to use their loud speakers to warn people to get of the street and to stay indoors. The crowd inside the station gradually settled down as time went by. George realized that whatever was to be done had to wait. Suddenly an officer who had been watching outside said "Hey there are a couple of trucks pulling up outside, with some sort of machines in the back." Suddenly George went cold as his mind connected the trucks to the transports he had seen at the plant. He now knew what they where for and where they where meant to go. He realized that the machines had come to town.

Two cops had dragged Ibrahim down a flight of stairs pas an elevator through a dimly lit corridor and threw him into a cell, slamming it shut and leaving him cuffed. The two cops then sat down at a desk in the hallway leading to the cells, softly talking together. Lying on the cold ground in his cell he listened to sounds which seemed to come from the earth. He heard and felt several tremors as if large explosions shook the earth. At first he smiled, thinking these where the explosions his brethren had set of. But the rumbling seemed wrong, instead of short punctuated events the seemed to last a long time, as if they came from further away and where much heavier than they should be. He could also sense a change in mood in the station noises from upstairs became different, he could hear horrified hoarse shouts, curses and people sobbing. After he had scrambled up onto his feet and onto the cot that stood in the cell he noticed that sky had turned dark, lightning flashed in the ever darkening sky and thunder crackled in the distance. The gathering clouds sometimes reflected with bright flashes and he realized something far different than what he thought was going on. As a soft rain started to fall he sat down on his bunk and he reflected on what had happened.

His thoughts where interrupted by the sound of gunfire coming from above. And then several explosions reverberated through the building and people started screaming mixed with the rattling of automatic fire. The cops at the desk scrambled up the stairways. Two short bursts of machine gun fire reverberated through the cell block followed by the sound of bodies tumbling down the stairways. Smoke drifted down from above and filled the block with a thin smokey haze. The sounds from above seemed to last a long time. After a while the sounds became less intense the gunfire died down to be replaced by sobbing and moaning punctuated by short bursts of fire as if someone was shooting the wounded. Suddenly he could hear the elevator doors opening. A metallic rattling of treads on concrete came from the corridor. An unreasonable fear gripped Ibrahim heart. He couldn't think of what to do, was he going to be killed just the same as the unbelievers upstairs?

George struggled to get to a window. When he reached the window he saw that it where indeed the same machines he had seen at the plant. As he watched the trucks one turned its back to the police station and its loading ramp came down. The evil red eyes of the Johnny Five glinted as it began to move down the ramp. "What the hell is that?" The cop yelled out. George shouted "Run, get out of here they're here to kill us!' Wasting no time he turned and started to struggle to the rear of the station. The cop who stood at the door looked at him as if he was crazy, and started to open the door to challenge the machine as the Gatling guns opened up. They literally cut him in half as well as completely blasting the door open.

All of a sudden George found the going much faster as more people started to run for the back of the station. However, several cops pulled guns from their holsters and started to move to the windows. The Johnny Five reached the door and opened up on the people packed inside. Several cops started shooting at it but most where killed before they could really do any damage. George survived as through a miracle. A big policeman who had been standing next to him was hit several times and fell heavily to the ground. But instead of swinging through on its arc the guns which had been aiming in Georges direction swivelled away to shoot at some cops who where shooting at it with guns. At the back of the front office the glass doors which led deeper into the station where shattered. As the guns where swinging once more in his direction it's progress marked by screams and the sound of bullets hitting people and objects George dove through the opening into the relative safety of the corridor behind the doors.

Meanwhile several cops had managed to break out some shotguns and assault rifles. By hitting the machine from every side they managed to get a few good hits of and slow the robot down. One of them managed to sneak up beside the machine to shove a stun grenade between its body armour and neck. This stopped it cold; the cop however was shot by a second Johnny Five which tried to get into the station. The remnants of its comrade blocked the entry, limiting its field of fire and access into the station. This gave the impromptu defenders a moment's respite in which more people managed to get out and gave them a change to bring up more weapons. Unfortunately, the machines didn't give them much time. With a sudden crash, a missile blew in part of the wall next to the door. Another missile came through the windows to explode against the far wall stunning the defenders. Two of the machines rolled trough the hole in wall. After that it was all over for the defenders in a heartbeat and a sigh.

George in the meantime had made his way deeper into the station. He met several police officers running to the sound of the battle going on in the front. They where so focused on the sounds of the gun battle that nobody challenged him as he fled. Problem was; he didn't know where he was going. Turning another corner he stopped dead in his tracks. A Johnny five was standing further down the hallway. Fortunately its back was turned to him. The body of a cop was lying in front of him. As George watched he saw that the cop wasn't dead. His left hand was scrabbling at his holster. His right arm was outstretched and obviously injured. With a quick wave George caught his attention. Motioning him to be still, George looked around. He spotted an emergency axe in the corridor he was in. Quickly he took it from its hold. Cautiously he snuck up behind the robot. It was only a few yards but they where the longest he had ever walked. Remembering where he had struck the one at the factory he hit it with a ferocious blow, sparks flew up from the machine and its head lolled to a side.

George went to check the police officer lying on the ground. The officer had been wearing a flack jacket which had saved his live. Two bullets had hit his right arm but through a miracle, it hadn't been broken. The officer was winded but with Georges help managed to get upright. As they limped away the cop started talking. "Who are they, where did they come from?" The cop asked. "I don't know who they are or rather who controls them; I do know where they come from." As they lurched through the hallways George told him about his earlier misadventures. Together they finally managed to stagger out the back of the station. None of the machines where visible here and slowly they made their way across the parking lot to the officers patrol car.

As Ibrahim lay there shivering with fear the treads stopped. Ibrahim could feel a malevolent presence in the corridor. Apparently it was blocked by the thick doorframe which held the heavy door to the cellblock in place. Piercing suddenly through the smoke a beam of red light quickly scanned the cells. A drunk left to sober up in another cell got to his feet, mumbling a drunken exclamation. As the light beam quickly passed over the drunks body, he stumbled backwards. A red dot rested of the mans forehead for a blink of an eye and then a burst of gun fire killed the drunk.

Ibrahim quickly scrambled to a corner where he hoped he wouldn't be spotted, clumsily pulling the thin matrass over him. The light beam continued its search. Quickly it found the other inmates in the cells and shot them. There was no hiding from the relentless light. Only Ibrahim hidden by the angle the wall made with the door seemed to be safe. After the other inmates had been killed, the light tried to reach the corner where Ibrahim was hiding. The sound of servo motors and treads on concrete sounded as something tried to negate the angle, it knew Ibrahim was there! Finally settling on an optimum angle its guns started rattling away. Armoured piercing rounds ripped through the cell block damaging and even destroying some of the bars. In fear Ibrahim cried out and cowered away in his corner, dying for Allah was one thing, getting shot at by a mysterious something he couldn't see spooked him badly. He whimpered and finally fainted as a ricochet slammed into the matrass and hit the wall next to his head. At that the guns stopped, the light briefly returned to scan the remainder of the cells and then winked out. Apparently satisfied the Johnny Five who had been shooting turned on its tracks and headed for the elevator.

George and the cop meanwhile had made it to the car. Quickly they got in. The cop started the engine just as a J5 appeared from the police stations garage. The cop gunned the engine and they sped away as the rear of the car was peppered with shots. The J5 didn't have enough speed to track the car so it didn't pursue them. Now that they where away from the station the cop decided to see if he could get anyone on his CB. Several officers on patrol responded. Quickly the cop told them what was happening. They didn't believe him until another cop reported seeing a J5 standing on a main street. Despite warnings he approached the machine. His report was cut short by a burst of machinegun fire. An ominous hissing of static was all that they could raise on that channel after that, now everyone was willing to listen.

Slowly more reports on the movements of the machines started coming in. It appeared the J5's where trying to isolate the city and the separate city blocks by guarding the main city exits and the major crossroads. The police stations that had escaped the terrorist attacks had also been attacked in force. The National Guard depot was being guarded by several J5's as well. They had also been seen near the one remaining power plant that had escaped the initial assaults. As if on cue, the last remaining lights went dead. The cops decided to use their loudspeakers to alert the public of the machines and meet at the home of one of the senior members. George and the cop, who introduced himself as Sam made their way to the meeting point straight away so they could get their story straight. Several cops from Sam's precinct where patrolling the streets so there were no reasons for them to help warn the public.

As they drove up to the house where the meeting was going to take place they saw several patrol cars standing out front and a few officers brandishing shotguns on guard. Sam pulled over at the house and as they got out George noticed a vehicle trundling into the street. George recognized it with alarm. It was one of the modified factory transport carrying a number of J5's. George shouted a warning to the cops on guard; startled they turned to the vehicle. Fortunately one of them understood its significance and started shooting at it. As they where shooting at the cabin nothing much happened, as the controls where to well protected. George yelled at Sam to start shooting at the tires. As Sam did so the other cops followed suit. Suddenly one of the big tires gave way and deflated just as the vehicle was turning. The momentum combined with the flat tilted the truck over. For a moment it teetered at a maximum angle then with a loud crash it fell over. The five J5's it was carrying smashed onto the street. It seemed obvious they weren't going to move anymore.

Carefully the cops advanced on the wreck. All of a sudden one of the J5's became active again, struggling to bring its guns to bear on the cops it managed to get one gun aimed in their general direction. Its first blast cut down two cops but the others dove for cover keeping the casualties down to those two. George looked the situation over. He motioned to one of the cops to circle round while the others kept shooting at the machine. The machine was trying to upright itself, pushing its gun mounts into the paving and its treads spinning madly trying to gain enough purchase to upright itself. As the cop had circled around the machine he started shooting the machine, to no avail. George realized that he was the only one who knew the weak spot of the J5. Drawing the cop's attention he mimicked a headshot. Cautiously the cop approached the downed and still struggling machine. He got as close as he could and fired his shotgun into the space between the back of the machines head and its neck. With a final quiver the machine ceased moving, and the light faded out of its eyes.

The cop who had destroyed the machine moved to the other machines and repeated the killing shot. Cautiously the other cops got to there feet and approached the wreckage. Stunned they looked at the evidence of the killing machines. George in the meantime clambered onto the wreck of the transport drawn by a strange sound. It sounded like an old fashioned modem or the loading of a program via an audio tape. As he peered into the smashed cabin he saw several lights winking on and off on something that looked like radio transmitter. Realizing that the machine had probably sent a status report to its controller he motioned for one of the cops to hand him over a shotgun. When he got the gun he quickly shot the equipment he saw to bits.

The cops looked surprised at his actions. He got down from the machine wreck and explained what he had seen. "It was transmitting, it wasn't just a fluke it turning up here. It was looking for us whoever controls them must have monitored our radio traffic and send them to kill us. I think it's save to assume their controller now realize they have failed and will be sending backup." One of the cops spoke up; "We killed these fuckers, we can handle whatever the send." George thought for a second and then spoke quickly; "Yes we can destroy them, but we need to organize ourselves. You saw how tough they where head on. We got lucky and we can't expect ourselves to be lucky all the time. We need better weapons than what we've got and a place to stay so we can take care of our wounded and recuperate."

Several people had come out of their homes to look at the disturbance. The others now realized that George was right. They went to the house where they had meant to meet. Gathering the people who where already there they moved the meeting to a mall half a block away. Before they left, they spray painted "mall" and "danger" on the wall so that the other cops had a chance of finding them and warning them that it wasn't save at the house. When they got to the mall they found that several people had already gathered there. They had been caught by the fallout and on the direction of an officer had took shelter in the mall. With the arrival of the other officers they realized it was only one of the problems. Here they did a quick head count. There where about two dozen cops there, some with their family and in the mall there where another fifty people. The cops decided to hold a small meeting first in which they would make a plan on how to deal with the situation.

A police lieutenant named Jack Patrovski who had been out on patrol took charge. They discussed what had happened and George and Sam explained what had happened at the station. Then George told them about his flight from the factory. The others had grown increasingly silent as Sam and George told their stories, finally Jack asked George how many machines he had seen at the factory. George thought for a moment, he could remember seeing at least ten fully loaded transporters he assumed that each transports carried at least 6 J5's. Next to those there had been several moving around the factory and some just coming of the main assembly line. He hadn't seen how many J5's where on the reconstituted line but he judged that there would be several more there because that line had obviously been adopted to make them. All in all George figured that there where probably somewhere near a hundred J5's around.

Ibrahim was having a bad day. He woke up with a terrible headache and a feeling like he was being suffocated. He tried to get the blanket of him. Only it wasn't a blanket it was a matrass, a thin, cheap, filthy flea ridden prison style matrass. What in the name of the prophet was happening? Then it all came back to him, the botched attack on the station, his arrest, and the horrible events in the cell. He panicked. He started struggling with the matrass, then with a sharp metallic clang one of the broken bars slipped onto the ground. It wasn't a loud sound but it froze him up. The fear had an even greater grip on him now but it also forced him to think. Making a sound was bad; it might cause whatever was out there to come back. And he definitely did not want to see that red light again, searching for the next victim. To whit; him. Slowly he managed to calm down, the fear was still there but since there hadn't been an immediate reaction he figured whatever had done the shooting wasn't.

Carefully he untangled himself from the matrass and debris, freezing up every time he made or heard a sound. After a few awkward moments he got up. Getting up involved stiffly hanging on to the cell bars that where still in place as his legs where completely numb from lack of blood circulation. As he stood up he looked around him, he could see several bodies of inmates mutilated by blasts of heavy machine guns. An eerie light with a second hand quality to it came into the cells from a small window, which looked out onto the opening of the underground parking space. A broken light hung from a now loose cord from the ceiling, swingling gently in a cold draft. The walls where pockmarked and scarred form where bullets had hit and ricocheted of them. The bars that had made up his cell door lay in a broken jumble on the ground.

As the feeling tingling returned to his legs he made his way to the cell door, still holding onto the remaining bars. With exaggerated care he stepped over the rubble in the cell opening, ready to jump back to the safety of his corner. He kept his ears open for any sounds hearing nothing he stealthily crept forward to the exit of the cells. Very slowly he took a look around the corner of the exit. There was nothing there. Feeling a little relieved he stepped into the corridor a walked pas the elevators. All the sounds from upstairs had stopped; it was now eerily silent in the station. As he made his way to the stairwell he stumbled over the body of a dead cop, his service gun still held in a death grip. Ibrahim stooped over the body and pried the pistol from the bodies stiff fingers. Swiftly he pocketed the gun and the spare ammo from the body. Despite realizing that the gun wouldn't make much of a difference against whatever had killed the cop it made him feel a lot better. He climbed the stairs cautiously when he came to the top he found several bodies of policemen laying in the broken down doorway. The doorway where he now stood opened up onto the back of a hallway. Looking out through the broken doorway he saw more figures laying still on the floor of the hall.

All the doors opening up to the hall had been left open or had been blasted open by gunfire. The walls where streaked with ricochet marks and impact marks from bullets. Several of the bodies had been clearly shot up at close range. Ibrahim shuddered as he remembered the sounds he had heard before. Obviously someone had executed the wounded up close with a heavy machine gun. Ibrahim walked down the corridor, carefully checking every door as he passed them by. At the end of the hall he came to the partition between the entrance of the station and the hallway he was in. The bodies where packed much closer here and he saw what looked like tread marks on the corpses, as if several tracked vehicles had moved over the bodies.

As he stared into the entrance hall he saw more bodies by the red glow of the smouldering remains of the front desk, making the scene even more hellish. A sickening smell of roasted flesh greeted him, and he saw a skeletal hand with the flesh burned off sticking out of the smouldering piles of rubble. As he looked around he saw amidst the dead a shotgun lying on the floor partially covered with bodies. Some sort of machine, which reminded him of a bomb disposal robot only a bit more elaborate, stood motionless at the entrance to the station. The machine was partially concealed by debris hanging from the ceiling.

Carefully he bent over to retrieve the gun, thinking that he needed all the firepower he could get. He grunted as he pulled the weapon from underneath the bodies. As he grunted he immediately heard the sound of electro motors activating. Looking into the direction of the sound, he stared at the machine he had thought was a bomb disposal robot. A red laser light flickered into life on the machine and he could now clearly see two Gatling guns quickly following the laser beam. Just as the machine started to fire he scrambled out of the way. Bullets screamed overhead as he desperately clawed his way over the pile of dead bodies, dragging the shotgun with him. He quickly got to his feet in the relative safety of the corridor. Quickly he checked the shotgun and found that there where still several rounds in the gun. He heard the sound of the treads on the floor. Turning back to the entrance hall he quickly squeeze of a shot at the machine. He saw sparks where the shots hit it but it didn't even slow it down. Realizing this was futile he fled into one of the offices and hid behind a collapsed desk and filling cabinet.

It took the machine a few seconds to negotiate the bodies and debris but soon he heard the treads in the hall. As it came to each office it scanned them which its laser. It passed Ibrahim hiding place without spotting him. Ibrahim got up hoping to flee the building via the now deserted entranceway. The machine however had stopped in the corridor and hearing the slight noise of Ibrahims sneakers as he stealthily tried to make his way out of the office it started to turn. Desperately Ibrahim worked the pump action of the shotgun. It seemed as if everything had slowed down. The machine hit the side of the wall in its turn and its upper torso couldn't make the turn without the undercarriage moving. Ibrahim jammed the gun into the rear side of the machines neck and pulled the trigger. The gun leaped into his hands with such a force he thought he'd break them. Tiny metal fragments scraped his hands but the head of the machine tilted to the side and the evil looking red eyes turned dim. Ibrahim looked around if there where anymore of the machines but none where apparent. He leaned against a wall a left a long sigh, his hands where shaking and his legs felt as if they where made out of Jell-O. That had been close, to close.

When he had steadied himself a bit he inspected the machine. The blast from the shotgun had torn a flexible pipe made out of metal rings, presumably holding the power supply and connectors to its sensors. Most of the pipe was protected by armour but there was a small opening to allow movement. The machine which stood slightly higher than an average man, was armoured all round. Only at joints between, for lack of a better word, its limbs could any wiring been seen. And even those had a metallic tube around them to protect them from damage. The metal of the machine was shiny but from the faint scratches on it, which where the only signs of damage done by the gunfire from the policemen, it must be made out of an extremely tough alloy. On the front of the machine he saw the letters T-100.00345 and underneath that "CYBERDINE SYSTEMS INC." Ibrahim wondered if there where more machines around, he supposed so. Even this machine no matter how tough it was couldn't have done all the damage he saw.

At that moment he heard a loud crash from the rear of the building followed by the sound of treads on stone. Wasting no more time he ran for the main hall pausing only a moment to check if he could find anything useful he pulled the gun belt from a corpse. As he did so he noticed a unopened box of shotguns shell, probably brought along by one of the dead cops as extra ammo for his mates. Pocketing these as well he moved up to the damaged entrance. Willing himself to ignore the sounds coming from behind, it wouldn't do to panic and run into the sights of another machine, he checked the street. The front of the building had an ornamental set of double stairs; one side had been converted into a ramp for disabled people. With grim amusement Ibrahim realized that the invalid access had also given access to the machines. He saw several dead bodies in the street and a machine standing guard at the crossroads. It didn't appear to be looking in his direction so he carefully slipped down the stairs. Silently he disappeared into the gathering gloom of the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three is here, lifes a bit hectic at the moment with a new job with training etc etc but here it is enjoy!

And once again, I do not own the Terminator universe.

Chapter 3 The Armoury

At the meeting George and the cops had continued their discussion. George was arguing that they needed more and better weapons. "We've seen what these things can do just five of them took out the station and we got just the one of them. We need more weapons, maybe some LAW's and grenades." Some of the people present, mostly the cops who had also faced the machines agreed. One of the other cops who had been at the house yelled out; " man, we can deal with them. We got five of them at the house, they ain't so tough! Yes but we got lucky there we crippled them on their transport, and even then we lost some people." Most of the cops argued that they had enough firepower to deal with the machines but fortunately Patrovski agreed with George.

He got up and explained that; "Yes, we have enough firepower to deal with them separately but there are simply too many. And George said they where still building more of them. For each one we destroy we might be facing two new ones. And we have more important things to deal with. Who knows what kind of enemy was behind these attacks, we need to get things under control so we can deal with the general problems caused by the war. The machines need to be dealt with quickly and to that end we need more firepower. Don't forget that we haven't come face to face with those who are behind the machines. Sooner or later if they managed to survive our counter strike, which we can assume they did judging by the machines reactions to our actions, they'll be coming this way. And we must count on that, this attack was so well planned and so sudden that they will have taken measures to ensure their dominance after this initial attack. So we'll concentrate first on getting the weapons we need"

"And after that" George said as he took the floor once more. "We need to consider a strategy to take them with a minimum amount of risk. What do you propose" asked Jack. "Consider this; what do they need to make more machines?" The others looked at him blankly. "They need a supply of metals and chemicals both for their weapons, munitions, spare parts and also to make more units. These resources they have stockpiled at my factory and undoubtedly they will have done the same at the other factories nearby. And from what I saw at my plant they had plenty. As it is it would take too much of our resources to attack them and hope to be successful as they continue to build new machines. What they don't have is an unlimited power source. I've checked it; out of the three power houses only one is undamaged. Admittedly it is the most modern one but still it will only be enough to provide them with enough power to operate the machines and power the independent units. They won't have much of a fall back, just the plants emergency power. If we can capture that power plant we'll severely limit their options. With that they can only maintain a few production lines or a small number of mobile machines."

It was silent after George's remarks. Then Jack stood up; "We can safely say that we have these two options. One; fight them with what we have and be whittled away as they grow stronger with possible reinforcements on their way. Or two; take the National Guard armoury and use those weapons to seize the power plant, cutting of their power and thereby their supply of machines and weaponry with the added bonus that the power will become available to the city for the hospitals and other emergency services. I say we take option two; we retake the armoury and kick them out of the power plant!" There was a general murmur of agreement. They decided that while Jack, George, Sam and two sergeants would device a plan to take the armoury others would go out to reconnoitre there objectives and the best way to get there. A few others would go after more weapons, either from gun stores or the ruins of police stations.

After their scouts returned the planners discussed their options. The scouts told them that there where ten J5's visible guarding the factory. Four stood as stationary guards at nearby crossroads, two where patrolling the streets and the main entrances, where trucks could be on- and offloaded, where guarded by the remaining four. An entrance to the side of the building appeared to be unguarded as it led via a stairway to an annex with contained a small office. A scout who was a member of the National Guards said that the office was connected to the armoury through a corridor with stairs in them. Since the J5's had problems with stairs it should be clear of J5's. The machines had shot up the office from the outside once they found they couldn't get in, inadvertently breaking down the door thereby giving an assault team an easy access to the building. An added bonus was that the entrance was very close to several office buildings. This would give an assault team the chance to get close by without being detected and they could use the offices as a staging area. They soon decided that the office would be their initial entry point. Since they would be taking a substantial amount of weaponry with them when they left they would need to leave by the loading bay. Their scouts had also found that several Guards trucks where available there so they would not have to find and bring in transport for their supplies.

There would be two assault teams and a backup team. One assault team, commanded by Sam, would enter the arsenal through the office entrance and move trough the corridor to secure the inside of the building. The second assault team would wait until the first team had seized the loading bay. Then they would attack the machines in front. This team would be lead by Jack. They hoped to maximize on their control of the inner building as the first team would get some heavy weapons and join the attack from the rear. The third team under Georges command would ambush the machines coming from the crossroads. For this they prepared several cars packing them with dynamite they took from a construction site and rigging a simple remote detonator. They hoped to use them as a sort of torpedoes with a remote detonator.

Having laid their plans they prepared to attack. During the night they carefully set up positions. The two assault teams silently getting into positions in buildings close to their objectives, carefully avoiding J5's on patrols. In the early morning just before sunrise, a group of armed officers and volunteers raced silently slipped into the office entry, timing their crossing to the entrance so as to avoid the patrols. It had been riddled with bullets and several dead bodies where lying inside the office. It smelled of death in the building. Carefully the assault group started moving through the building. Everywhere there was broken equipment and glass from the windows. Trying to minimize the sound of their passing they all carefully examined where to set down their feet. They made their way through the office corridor into the main building. The door into the main building had been destroyed by machine gun fire. Ever so carefully the point man pushed the remnants open, trying to be as silent as possible. Once the door was fully open he quickly moved in.

After checking the area he signalled to Sam to move in. Moving faster now they quickly began to secure the inside of the arsenal. The arsenal was divided into an area with weapons on shelves and several bunker like magazines for munitions. Most of the stores hadn't been touched. Only the door to the bunker where heavy calibre ammunition for machine guns was kept had been forced open with considerable force. Although his group was the one with the most arms they had stilled planned on upgrading their arsenal with weapons taken directly from the stores. This his team had already started doing, Sam joined his group pausing to take some grenades from a box one of his team had opened and placed in the open. Sam then proceeded to move to the front of the loading bay. Moving stealthily his team followed. The snuck trough the shelves in the rear of the bay where small arms and equipment where stored on shelves. As Sam took stock of the situation he heard an ominous sound, the rattling of treads on concrete.

Everybody took cover but he couldn't get under cover in time. As he stood transfixed to the ground a metal shape appeared around the corner of the aisle. Willing his body to move he swung his automatic up and started shooting at the machine. Surprisingly it only took a few hits for the machine to break down. As the machine came to a stand still Sam took a look at it. It wasn't a J5. It was only similar in that it had tracks, an upright body and a head. It lacked however the armour plating of the J5's and instead of the Gatling Guns it had arms with artificial hands. It also had a small loading bed in its rear. The lack of armour was the reason he had been able to disable it with just a few hits. Startled Sam realized that this was some sort of worker drone for the J5's.

His thoughts where cut short by the sound of more machines approaching. Sam motioned for his team to take up ambush positions in the aisle. Using a small office space with a computer which had been crammed between the shelves Sam quickly took cover himself. Keeping low he snuck a look around the corner of the shelves. A J5 had appeared. It gave the drone a quick look over and then rumbled into the aisle. Another one appeared and took up a covering station. Sam looked at one of the members of his team who stood a little further down the pathway in a crossing of two aisles. He motioned to him to circle around so he could get a shot at the J5 covering the one coming down to where Sam was hidden. Slowly the J5 approached, it stopped every few feet to check its surroundings giving Sam's team the much needed time to get into positions. As the J5 got closer Sam soundlessly slipped behind an open closet door.

Sam waited for the machine to pass his position as it did so he pulled the pin from one of his grenades planning to throw it at the machine. As luck would have it the machine at the head of the aisle noticed some sound behind it and turned around at that very instance. It had spotted one of Sam's men and began shooting at him; quickly it acquired another target after killing the first member of Sam's squad and began advancing on the group who had tried to sneak up to it. The J5 in front of Sam continued on, but as the other was no longer covering it Sam took his chance and snuck behind it and shoved the grenade between its upper armour and head. One of Sam's men who remained at the end of the aisle now started shooting at it, distracting it enough for Sam to quickly dive behind the desk in the alcove where he had hid.

Before the machine could get an accurate shot at the team member shooting at it the grenade went of. In the confines of the arsenal the explosion was tremendous. The explosion brought several of the shelves crashing down. White-hot shrapnel zinged through the air scarring every thing in its way. It also blew the head off of the J5 launching it as a old fashioned canonball to the ceiling where it hit with a loud crack and then fell heavily to the ground in front of Sam. On a whim Sam picked up the damaged head and shoved it into an empty equipment bag. Who knew what kind of intel they could get from it. In the meantime the other J5 had killed four members of his assault team who had tried to attack it from the rear. Sam motioned his others members to get under cover. The machine moved back from the rear of the loading bay, trying to get a clear killing area. Sam realized that as long as he team didn't pick up some heavier weapons they where stuck. Unfortunately the J5 covered the entrance to the bunker where the LAW's and other heavy weapons where kept. It now started a search pattern its red laser sight flashing over objects it picked of two more members of his team. Looking around desperately for anything he could use he noticed a forklift which was used to move heavy crates and equipment. He saw a path to get there if the machine would keep its attention straight ahead.

He indicated his plan to his surviving team members with hand signals and moved as far ahead to his goal as he thought he could. At a wave of his hands the others began shooting at the machine. Immediately the J5 aimed its guns at the rear of the bay and Sam sprinted forward to the forklift. Scrambling into the cab he hit the ignition with a hum the machine came to life. Gunning the engine for all it was worth he steered the vehicle at the J5. Its attention was stilled focused on the group shooting at it and didn't notice Sam heading its direction till it was too late. Its head turned to the new threat with a swift motion trying to asses the danger. Belatedly it turned to meet Sam but couldn't get its weapons trained on the rapidly approaching forklift in time. The prongs of the fork caught the machine under its arm stumps trapping the guns in a position where they couldn't shoot anything. Quickly Sam pulled the lever to cause the fork to rise although with difficulty due to the weight of the armoured J5. Sams actions came just in time as the J5s treads began to spin furiously in the air. Turning the forklift to the edge of the loading bay he drove to it and proceeded to unceremoniously dump the J5 down onto the floor below. As the J5 fell its movements caused the forklift to move and its front wheels went over the edge. As the combination of forklift and J5 began to topple over the edge together Sam jumped free of it. The machines fell with a loud crash the J5 landing first on its side with the forklift on top.

Taking a moment to look over the edge Sam saw the J5 moving with jerks and stops trying to get out and up from under the machine which trapped it. Pulling the pin from another grenade Sam tossed it on the machines, the resulting explosion destroying the J5. Sam now rejoined to his team. He could see more J5s approaching the bay, the two which had been left in front being reinforced by the two on patrol. Already one was at the ramp leading up into the bay. Sam ran to the rear shouting to the remaining four members of his team to get the heavy weapons out of the bunkers.

Meanwhile Jacks force had started their attack on the building keeping the machines in the yard busy, effectively splitting their forces in two. The machines took cover behind a truck and some crates that where out in the yard. With their accurate fire they kept Jacks team from getting any closer; already several of Jacks troops had been killed. One of Jacks team members snuck up using the cover of a burning car. As he got close enough he got up to hurl a homemade bomb at one of the machines but he wasn't fast enough twin blasts from the J5 hit him. The bomb exploded leaving a dirty smudge on the pavement. Another member of Jacks team had more success; he managed to get close enough without being detected. A bundle of dynamite landed net to one of the J5 and hit it with enough force to overturn it. Quickly taking cover the man managed to avoid being hit by the other J5.

Sams forces had managed to get to the heavy weapons storage and where now arming themselves with LAW missiles. Quickly the spread out after arming themselves and took up positions just in time. The J5's had reached the top of the ramp and where now pouring fire into the loading bay. Another member of Sams team died in the heavy fire. But by then they had managed to get into firing positions themselves. One shot took care of the first J5 the second proved a more difficult task. The first missile only managed a glancing hit; the missile shot of and exploded against a wall. The J5 retaliated with a concentrated attack on the man who had shot at him, he didn't miss. Sam fired a second missile at it but it went wide, A third missile however hit the machine in its undercarriage blowing it of the ramp where it lay motionless.

Now Sams troops got to the edge of the bay again. They managed to take out the last of the J5's present with a well aimed missile. Sam and Jack quickly got together to discus the events and reform their forces. Jacks group had been fortunate but Sams group had been hard hit, there where only four left of a total of sixteen. All together they had 26 people. Now they quickly started arming them with better weapons. M16's with over and under grenade launchers where the minimum they wanted. For local defence they decided to set up a 20mm gun and several LAW's. They divided their group into three teams one would be local defence concentrated on the loading bay while the largest group would be tasked with loading up two trucks wit munitions. Sam would take a small group of six men carrying extra weapons to reinforce Georges group, whom they suspected by the sounds of gunfire which was steadily getting closer must be in trouble. Just before Sam set off a load explosion sounded not far off shaking the earth. They had loaded up a jeep with their supplies and they now raced to get to Georges group hopefully in time. Sam hoped they where on time by as the gun fire died down he feared the worst.

George's group which had meant to take care of the machines guarding the crossroads was in dire straits. It had been expected as this was the largest group but with the least weapons. Apart from two AK47 and several Tec-Nine's they only had handguns and shotguns augmented by improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails. As the machines had rushed too the armoury to respond to the threat they had sprung their trap. The cars they had rigged with explosives had only managed to damage a J5 taking of one of the guns of a J5. They soon found that Molotov cocktails didn't slow them down at all. Four members of George's team had died after they had thrown the makeshift bombs at the machines which had emerged from the flames with blazing guns. They managed to stop one machine by blowing of a tread with a pipe bomb but that small victory had cost them another three lives. George realized that he had already lost a third of his force with little to show for it but two damaged J5's. However they had slowed down the advance of the machines. The machines where now moving cautiously through the street leading to the arsenal. They had met up with each other and where now moving at a steady pace. The two undamaged ones where to the front and side; checking each entrance, blasting whatever they saw. Another two members of George's team had fallen to this tactic.

George had thought of another way to get to the machines. Several of his team had taken up positions and where now slowing them down even more. They took pot-shots at the machines and then ran like hell to new positions. At the same time he had some men crawl into the sewer and wait beneath a manhole cover with the last of his makeshift bombs. As the machine got close to it George quickly shot three times at the cover. This signalled the men underneath to light the fuse of the bomb they had placed there. As the machine trundled onto the manhole cover it blew. The timing had by chance been perfect. The J5 had been right on top of the manhole cover. A few shots had caused it to stop and aim at the people shooting at it. Just as it started to shoot the bomb went off throwing the machine into the air. In a very spectacular way it was thrown into the air and slowly pirouetted in the air to land with a very heavy and final crash on its neck. With a few final electrical sparks the light in its eyes finally dimmed.

The remaining J5's now stood still. After scanning the area ahead of them the damaged J5 now turned and quickly withdrew. The undamaged J5 set itself in reverse, obviously covering its comrade. Surprised but relieved George watched the machines retreat. He sent one of his men after them to watch the machines and quickly repositioned the remainder of his force into defensive positions. Of the 32 men and women he had started with he still had twenty left although some where lightly wounded they where all still capable of fighting, but they only had handguns and shotguns left. He realized that without better weapons it would be madness to try and stop another assault by the machines. He was about to send a runner to Jack but just then he heard a jeep driving into the street. It was Sam and his reinforcements. Grinning broadly Sam shook Georges hand and now told him of events at the armoury, as his men dispensed the new weapons they had brought among Georges men. Nearly all of the men had now at least a M16 with a grenade thrower and enough ammo for a gun battle. Sam and George decided that four of the wounded for whom there weren't any extra weapons would head back to help with the loading at the armoury. At that moment the scout that George had sent after the J5's returned with a troubled look on his face.

The scout walked up to George and gave the bad news. "We've got trouble boss, four transports just drove up. They unloaded a whole shit load of machines. One was some sort of repair droid. It started with the machine with the damaged gun and went on to the one we disabled. I saw two groups of five machines each heading off for encirclement. The main force of twelve machines is headed straight this way. And there's worse, they've got rocket launchers as well. One J5 per truck was equipped with a rocket launcher and a mini-gun." George and Sam turned to each other; "This is going to be a problem," Said George. "All right," George said to the scout. "You go with the others to the Arsenal and tell Jack that we're going to hold them as long as we can. But get us some jeeps here so we can pull out as quickly as possible when we have to. Now go!" Turning to Sam he pulled a city map from his pocket; "Let's see what we can do to make their life's miserable." Sam pointed at two small alleyways that ran parallel to the main street they where defending. "They're probably going to use these alleys to outflank us. If we put a squad here and here, "he said, indicating turns in the alleyways where the machines could only move through one at a time," with Laws we might hold them for a while. Of course those missiles will be a bitch. How long you think it will take Jack to load up the trucks, "George asked. "Can't be all that long, "Sam said. "They where already loading them up as I left, so forty-five minutes max. Okay," George said. "We also got some claymores if we place them in the wreckage of the previous fight we might disable one or two of them. We'll set up shop in these buildings here and prepare alternate positions in those shops back there. So Sam will you take the left ambush? Yeah who's going to be in charge on the right? Well" said George smiling lightly. "I reckon Bob's your uncle." Bob being one of the cops with army service having served two tours in Iraq.

Hurriedly they set up their positions. George sent four of his group to the shops he had indicated. Bob And Sam each took three men with them for their ambush groups. The remaining eight would stay with George on the main defensive line. They where barely in time. As the last of the charges where laid a group of J5's trundled into view. Smoke from fires started by the last fight obscured the view leaving a haze over the battlefield. A female officer wasn't fast enough and was shot down diving for cover. As the machines got closer George ordered his team to open fire. His Law team took out two machines before a missile fired by a missile carrier took them out. The mini guns of the machines where firing undiscrimatingly at anything they perceived as a threat. A truck was set alight by a grenade explosion. As the J5's got deeper into the debris field of the previous fight George detonated the Claymores. By now thick smoke from the burning wreck of the truck hid the machines from sight. George was unsure if any of the machines had been stopped by the claymores. It took a few agonizing seconds for the machines to clear the smoke. When they did George saw that there was one less. The machines now started targeting the buildings George's men where in with missiles and mini-gun fire as other J5's moved forward threatening to cut him off. His position was rapidly becoming untenable. George cursed as he gave the word to fall back to the secondary positions he had lost half of his team for just a few minutes. This was not going well.

Sam's team had more success. His team had taken cover in the entrance of an underground parking lot as the first J5 navigated through the turn in the alley he opened fire. It was a direct hit. The J5 had spun slightly on its axis before keeling over. A second J5 tried to push through the debris of its comrade in the meantime opening fire on the main building perceiving that as Sam's position. It didn't get a chance to correct its mistake. A shot from a grenade launcher damaged its guns and before it could withdraw a second missile from the Law destroyed it. The alley was now effectively blocked. The machines retreated looking for another way to bypass the defensive line. And Sam moved his team to an new position from where he could block further flanking movements.

As Bob had taken up station he realized that he had another option instead of stopping them with his missiles. He was carrying some C4 explosives and as he looked at the alley he figured that it wouldn't be hard to block the alley with debris. It was a run down alley, some of the buildings looked as if they would collapse if someone sneezed. The buildings where made of red brick, but they where now covered with scrawling graffiti. In other places they where smudged by smoke made by the fires of homeless people in oil drums. In fact there where some homeless people still in the alley. Their brains to addled by booze and drugs or whatever psychosis kept them on the street to get out of the way. As he looked around for a likely spot to set his charges, there where some shouts and screams coming from further up the alley. Most where cut short by burst of gun fire. He quickly placed a few charges at the bottom of a wall which looked as when it fell it would block the alley completely. As he finished a few homeless people stumbled pass mumbling and shouting about judgement day being here. He took cover behind the burnt out wreck of an abandoned Chevy. He waited as a final whino stumbled pass his dirty face now also streaked with blood. A J5 came into view with a rattle and a screeching noise. It was pushing a burning drum in front of it which it couldn't get pas, it didn't appear to be hindered by the drum but it gave it a hellish appearance, the red light from the burning barrel flashing across its metal frame in a ghostly light show. A red beam of a laser sight flashed down the alley quickly settling on the back of the stumbling drunkard. A short stab of fire from its guns and the whino fell boneless to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring at Bob.

Only briefly shocked by the meaningless violence of this Bob hit the switch on his detonator. The C4 detonated and the J5 was slammed into the opposite wall, cracking it as well. Turning its head to the wall where the C4 had exploded it looked up in an almost human gesture at the collapsing wall. It was quickly buried in an avalanche of bricks and other materials as the wall collapsed on top of it. Groaning under the abuse from the explosion and the impact of the J5 the opposite wall also collapsed, burying the machine under a large pile of debris forming a formidable obstacle which the machines couldn't pass. The alley was truly blocked, one J5 thoroughly buried beneath the rubble. Grinning Bob got up from his hiding place and joined his team further down the alley where he had stationed them with the Law. Without using his precious missiles he had blocked this assault. Gathering their gear they decided to rejoin George as the machines would have to backtrack a long way to find a new way to outflank them on this side.

Georges luck hadn't changed. His secondary position was coming under increasing fire from the J5's who where using any obstacle they could find as cover. They had managed to destroy two more machines, while losing only one of their team, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he started losing more of his people. They where coming under increasing pressure. As he took a quick peek over the window sill of the shop he was hiding behind he saw one of the missile carriers getting ready to fire at the building. Quickly he got up and fired a grenade at it, and dove for a new position not caring about the glass lying everywhere, hesitation was lethal. It was a hit and with a spectacular explosion the missiles it was carrying blew up. The blast shook the ground and building he was in causing dust and worse some shelves to fall down on top of him. Another J5 opened up with its guns on his old position, the wall he had been hiding behind was turned into rubble. Carefully extracting himself from the remains of the shelves which had fallen on him he took another look outside. All he could see of the J5 he had hit was a crater in the pavement with the remains of its undercarriage in a twisted mess. The J5 which had fired at his old position was already moving to a new position behind a car. He fired a grenade at it but it glanced of its armour and exploded harmlessly in the air.

Another J5 turned its attention to his position approaching him at its maximum speed guns firing madly into the remains of the shop. George fired wildly without aiming trying to keep the machine at bay. He wanted to fire again but his pouch was empty. Fumbling at his backpack where he kept his extra grenades he started to reload the gun as the machine started negotiating the rubble pile which had been the shop front. He realized he wasn't going to make it in time. As the laser sight started to move through the rubble of the shop he closed his eyes and froze up. Just as the machine found him, a load explosion sounded throwing the machine onto its front. Shrapnel filled the shop but as George was laying in front of the machine its bulk protected him from the whizzing pieces of deadly metal. Not believing his luck George stared at the remains of the machine, a gaping hole had appeared in its rear armour surrounded by twisted and torn shreds of metal where a missile had hit it full on. Its delicate innards shredded to pieces by the explosion.

After reloading his launcher he crawled past the wreck of the J5 looking out into the street he could see that the machines where being held now. The remaining machines having pulled back a save distance. They where probably waiting for more reinforcements before renewing their attack. George weighed his options, should he try to hold them here or should he move further back? He saw someone dashing from cover to cover to his side of the street. It was Bob; when he reached George he quickly recounted what had happened at his ambush site. After he had pulled back he had been just in time to see the J5 going into the building George was in. Using one of the LAW's he had stopped it. The destruction of that J5 had also stopped the current assault.

Bob and George went over their situation trying to decide wether or not to pull back a little further. They still had the two LAW's that Bob's team had left. So they figured they could still stop an assault one last time. The grenade launchers where proving to be effective only if they hit the machines close to the head fixture, the weapon points or its tracks. Claymores where only useful at very close range and if enough rubble was available to camouflage them. They did still have a lot of them and with their current positions being in the ruins of the shops they could be useful. They had no way of knowing if and how fast the machines could be repaired. Apart from the machines which could be repaired there might be other reinforcements to their opponent's forces. And it was unclear if the four machines that Bob had stopped in the alleyway would continue to try and outflank them or reinforce this assault. So they didn't know how many machines they would be facing the next time. They also didn't know how successful Sam's team had been.

Just then two jeeps pulled up bringing extra LAW's and ammunition, also providing them with a quick means of retreat. The drivers told them that the loading was nearly complete. They where now busy loading in the entire heavy machine gun ammunition stock so as to deprive the machines of that asset. They just needed another twenty minutes. George and Bob then decided that they would rig their current positions with Claymores; two officers would stay as snipers to lure the machines into the ruins and then explode the Claymores. That way they hoped to gain a few extra minutes at minimal cost. They also decided to change tactics. In stead of holding a few fixed points they would ambush the machines properly. They would set up on one side of the street and allow the machines to pass them. Only then would they open fire. This tactic would also offer maximum targets for the grenade launchers. Hopefully this would slow them down enough so they could still finish the loading. They decided that if the time came to evacuate without an attack being made they would pull out.

Sam's team had taken up a new station in another street waiting for the machines to try and outflank them again. They had heard the sounds of Georges fight and where wondering if all went well when Sam cocked his head to listen more carefully. "Listen do you hear that?" He said nudging one of his team. "What? That;" said Sam as a machine gun burst sounded followed by a load crash. "That sounded much closer. Nah, George just moved to his fallback position. So it's pretty obvious that's gonna sound much closer." Just then the sound of the battle ebbed away after a final explosion.

Before Sam could contradict him shots from a mini-gun blasted the wall of the building they where concealed in and then the wall erupted in a shower of bricks as a J5 came smashing through. "Jesus!" screamed the guy whom he had been talking to. The guy quickly twisted around with the LAW and fired it in his panic before Sam could stop him, the missile went wide. The back blast caught a woman and turned her into a human torch. Sam reacted on instinct and dove through the window they had been looking out through. It was not a moment too soon as the J5 opened up with both its guns cutting everybody in the room into pieces, mercifully killing the burning woman as well and stopping her horrific screams. As Sam lay prone in the street an explosion rocked the room he had been in as the munitions the woman had been carrying went off. Sam got to his knees and turned around to look at the building, it collapsed. As the dust settled Sam heard the ominous sound of metal treads on rubble. At least one J5 had survived and he wasn't waiting to see how many more. Sam bolted.


	4. Chapter 4

Once again I do not own this world and no money is being made on this at all. It is strictly for the enjoyment of the people of Malawi and anybody who likes the terminator.

Chapter 4: Travelling companions

Ibrahim snuck trough the darkness, keeping careful watch for any machines. He saw several guarding crossroads and everywhere where the machines where there where corpses in the road. He didn't make any connection between his own actions and those of the machines instead acting on gut instinct he avoided them. The streets where dark, the street lights weren't on and he noticed that most houses where dark as well or only dimly lit by candles. He figured that the power had been cut, so that meant that his friends had been successful. After a while he got to his apartment, the cops hadn't been here yet. Relaxing slightly he went to the fridge and got something to eat. Looking out of the windows he saw no lights at all. That was odd. The city had three power stations. His men had blown up the two old ones. The new one should still be able to provide most of the power. The new one had mainly been built to provide the new factories with power. True it would also solve the brownout problem the city had in summer time but that was just an extra benefit. Curious he decided to climb to the roof to see what was happening.

Climbing the stairs to the roof took some time as the building was 15 storeys high. When he got there he looked around. He could see dim lights in the hospitals. Apparently the hospitals where running on emergency generators. As he looked around he thought at first that city hall was also running on emergency power but then he noticed flames breaking out of the windows. The city hall was on fire! Maybe another group had hit that, he wondered idly. Then he turned around, the new car manufacturing plant was a see of light, and obvious it still had full power. That was odd why give the plant all the energy when the city obviously needed it? He really hadn't thought that these westerners would be so jaded as to put profit above the welfare of the city. As he once again turned around now looking at the horizon he saw several red glows far away in the direction of other cities topped by thick billowing clouds that blotted out any starlight. In the past he had come up here at night to think trying to recapture the sense of his desert home country where the sky was ablaze with stars. Here much of the starlight was soaked up by the glow of cities on the horizon. Now it seemed as if every city that had been there was on fire. What could have caused that? He remembered the rumbling he had heard in his cell and a grim realization started to sink in. Somehow the events of the day must have triggered a nuclear Armageddon.

So what was the role then of those machines? Where did they come from? Had they been snuck in to the city as an automated assault force? He knew that his people weren't capable of such a feat. The only countries that where possibly technologically advanced enough to have made machines like that where the western democracies. He didn't think anything like these machines was possible without some sort of remote control. And even if it was some western country it didn't make any sense. Ibrahim just wanted the western world to acknowledge the wrong they had done his people. He also wanted rid of the abomination of their religion and mainly get rid of the Jews. Let them have their homeland in Germany they where the ones who had wronged them. But he didn't want to destroy the whole world. Who would want that, besides the west would strike back at his home as well. His heart grew cold at the thought of the destruction of his homeland. He slowly realized that maybe somehow he had been used by someone who had a completely different agenda. "By Allah!" he thought. "I'll have my revenge on whosoever is behind this; Ins Allah".

He didn't sleep well that night, the whole situation continued to play through his head. He made up his mind to check out the factory in the morning. Something was going on there and he meant to find out what and how it tied in with the bigger picture. During the night he continued to hear gun shots. Several times trucks moved through the street. In the morning he was woken by a different sound. Several machines had moved into the street, one was equipped with a flame thrower. It had started at the first house of the street; it moved up to the front porch after one of the machines shot the front door to pieces. Then it turned its weapon on the inside. Soon the whole building was on fire. As people tried to jump from windows they where shot by several machines that where standing guard.

As the fire was started the first two machines moved to the next building and repeated the process. Some people in the street who had been watching the scene unfold tried to get out of their own homes; they where gunned down mercilessly by a number of machines that where standing guard throughout the street. Other people who had guns started shooting at the machines. It was to no avail, at best they where ignored at worst they where shot by the machines. Ibrahim was stunned what where those machines? Who where they working for what was the sense in this? Fortunately Ibrahim had chosen to live in this building for a reason. It had a cellar where people had storage space. His storage space was unique it was very close to the street sewer and with the help of some of his comrades he had made a passage to the sewer. His apartment was also located on the ground floor above the cellar and he had made a bolthole in the floor of his apartment.

Gathering up his weapons, from their hiding places, and packing a rucksack with food and drink he pulled back the carpet which hid the access to the cellar. He stopped as he could hear the people in the hall arguing what they would do. His next door neighbours had gone out into the street and had been shot. Several others had tried the rear of the building, only to get shot by other machines that where waiting in the alley. He opened up his door, some people turned to him staring at the AK47 he now carried. Before the people could ask him what he was doing he spook. "Quickly!" He said. "Don't ask questions, I've a way out of here that is hidden. Grab some food, water and flashlights and come here. If you have weapons bring those as well. What do you mean, Ibs;" Asked one of his neighbours whose name was Tom. Standing back in his doorway he let him see the trapdoor. Nodding in understanding Tom stood back; "everybody do as he says, move, move, move those damned machines will be here soon!" Everybody started to get the things they wanted to take with them galvanized into actions by the man's words.

Ibrahim in the meantime went into his cellar. Picking up a flashlight which was there for just such an occasion he moved to the tunnel. Tom was the first to join him and Ibrahim walked up to the door which lead to the sewer. It was very well made. From this side it was a heavy door which was bolted. From the other side it looked just like a piece of sewer wall. Tom raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner but left it at that. Ibrahim just shrugged. They checked to see if the way was clear, no machines could be seen. Returning to the cellar Ibrahim picked up a rucksack which lay on the floor and gave it to Tom. "There's a Glock inside with some clips also for the AK47, a hand grenade and some bandages and stuff" Ibrahim said to Tom. "Man you sure are packing" Tom said. Ibrahim just smiled.

Just then the first of the refugees came down the ladder into the cellar. Ibrahim explained that the sewer led to the warehouse district. That should be safe enough at the moment. All in all some nineteen people made their way into the sewer. Ibrahim had expected some complaints on their escape route, but to his surprise nobody said anything. They all realized it was this or a rather dreadful death. It was slow going at first. An older couple had decided to bring a suitcase which they wouldn't give up at first. Only after Tom offered a trade, they could carry his rucksack and he would carry the suitcase, did their speed increase.

As they made their way through the damp and filthy sewer, they heard the sound of gunfire grow lesser and lesser. They heard rumbling and crashing sounds and a once an explosion but they couldn't tell if they where walking towards the sounds or away from them.They passed several side passages, but Ibrahim kept them on a straight course. He had long ago scouted the sewers and new where he was going. He was headed to the warehouse district where he hoped to pick up a car from storage. Despite having seen and realized that the destruction was widespread he hoped to get to Canada. He hoped that they had escaped this war and that he could get transport to his home. As they got to a major junction ibrahim took a right turn. This tunnel would lead them pass the armoury, he had once hoped that he could gain access to that from the tunnels but all the tunnels leading in that direction where either too small or barred with strong gates. Now they got close to the sewer that ran underneath the main street leading to the armoury.

Ibrahim figured that the sound of rumbling and crashing had gotten louder and as he looked out in the gloom ahead he thought he saw that it was lighter. Motioning for the others too stand still he cautiously went a few steps ahead. Tom and a woman called Sara joined him. "What's up Ibs;" Tom asked. "Look ahead, don't you think its lighter up ahead," Ibrahim asked. "It's hard to tell Ibs. Can't see much because of the torches" Sara said. "Ok," Ibs said. " Ask the others too turn of their lights, maybe we can make out something more then." A few whispered conversations later and all the lights where turned off. Slowly Ibs, Tom and Sara moved further up. As their eyes adjusted to the darkness of the sewer they could see that there was indeed more light coming from up ahead. The light came from the side tunnel under the main street. As they got to the juncture, Ibrahim pulled his AK47 up. When they saw this both Tom, and to Ibrahims surprise, Sara pulled out guns, when Sara saw Ibrahims looks she smiled, "A girl alone in the big city what d'ya expect? Gotta have some protection." Ibs suppressed a snigger that was some protection she was carrying; a 357 magnum. No sane man would go near that girl.

Slowly Tom looked around the corner of the tunnel tube. He relaxed a little bit, he could indeed see daylight. There was some rubble laying beneath the remains of a manhole shaft. It had obviously been destroyed by an explosion but they couldn't see any other signs of the machines. They held a quick council. There goal was a few streets further. Ibrahim figured that whatever had happened was centred around the armoury. He thought there would be enough distance between them and their destination to risk going on. And they couldn't stay down here. Any where away from the machines would be good enough and the place he had chosen to surface again was inside the storage room so they would be hidden from sight. Admittedly at first he hadn't planned on taking them there but he actually did like his companions he realized. As they had no other ideas of what to do they decided this was their best choice. They did decide that Ibrahim would scout ahead and that Tom and Sara would lead the main group.

Ibrahim set off at a brisk pace, why he had decided to bring them to his escape base he didn't know however his choice was made and he decided to stick by it. Somehow he realized that this wasn't about east versus west anymore but something new. As he was on his own now he made good time. And shortly afterwards he found the exit to the storage room, this one wasn't hidden. It was locked with a big cipher lock. That had always been so, what was new was the lock, it was of the same make that the city had used to bar this entrance. He had simply replaced it with a new one which he had bought from the internet. The door led to a small storage area for the city maintenance crews which lay beneath the warehouse above. Ibrahim rented some storage space in the warehouse. He had a small supply of weapons in the storage, some handguns four AK47's and even better an RPG with three grenades for it. Ibrahim smiled, if things where going to go as he thought that would come in handy, as would his knowledge of how to make new grenades for it. His storage space was accessible from the room through a trapdoor in the ceiling which was hidden behind a cupboard. Smiling he opened up the cover and moved into the room above.

Tom and Sara moved the others pass the main street sewer. Just as they where nearly passed it, Tom heard gunfire coming from above ground. Whatever was going on he hoped that Ibs new what he was doing. It sounded as if a war was being waged above them. Every now and again an explosion would shake dust and once some bricks loose from the ceiling covering them in a brownish grey cake of grime and dust. Urging the others on Tom and Sara tried to catch up with Ibrahim. Just as they where beginning to think that Ibrahim had deserted them, they heard him calling out. "This way," he whispered loudly. He moved everybody into the storage room. It was tight but they could at least sit for a while on crates and equipment.

At the moment there was another lull in the sound of fighting. Ibrahim suggested he take a look and see if he could find out what was happening. They thought that maybe the machines had tried to take over the armoury and had met armed resistance from National Guard troops. If they could get to them they would be safe and maybe they could get them to stop the killing that was going on. So Ibrahim checked his gun and on an after thought took some grenades and plastique explosives he had stored there as well. The storage had a rolling door with a second door in that. Ibrahim first laid his ear against the cool metal of the rolling door. After he was satisfied he couldn't hear anything he carefully opened the smaller door. Cautiously he looked out into the street. Before he went into the street he turned to Tom, "when I come back I'll knock like this," quickly he drummed a rhythm on the door. "If you don't hear that rhythm, don't open up. Arm yourselves and be prepared for trouble. If I don't return within two hours Leave, get out of the city and don't come back." After that bit of advice he went out into the street.

Keeping to shadows and hiding between cars and crates that where in the street Ibrahim crept along the street in the direction of the armoury. He was also heading in the direction of the gunfire he heard previously when he heard muffled gun fire followed by a loud crash. Making sure there where no machines in the street he wanted to use to get out he moved up to the corner of the street. A building had collapsed and a man was lying in front of it, covered in dust clinging onto a M16. Moaning the man turned around to look at the collapsed building when all of a sudden a machine emerged from the rubble trailing a broken beam of timber after it which had been lodged between its body and its left mini-gun. Cursing the man got up and ran in Ibrahim's direction. He was in luck, the machine couldn't get its remaining gun into a firing position before he was at the corner. He stumbled pass Ibrahim who didn't hesitate but grabbed the startled and limping man, supporting him he ran with him to the cover of an old factory building. The first machine was followed by a second one. After what seemed a moment's deliberation the machines turned back on their original course leaving the two humans alive to limp to safety.

Jacob had been travelling for a day now after leaving the barn. The fallout had fallen for two days, several other people had found the barn as well. Nobody had talked much as everybody was to busy with their own grief. Now the road was full of people most where on foot but there where a few cars about, but not many, and those that where about where mainly older models. The EMP had destroyed much of the delicate electronics of new cars, and most people lacked the skill to get them running again. He spent the night in the back of an abandoned Mercedes. The driver having left the car door unlocked when he left the car. Jacob figured that compared to some people he probably slept luxuriously that night.

The next day he awoke thirsty and hungry. The last of his water and the energy bar had been finished the previous night. Tiredly he got to his feet. He knew he needed to get to the first town fast before it was swamped with refugees. Jacob reckoned that although few people must have survived the blast they would all be heading to the hills and the sheltered little towns. He set out at a punishing speed, so far he had been able to maintain it and he had thus outstripped other refugees on foot. This far from the main blast zone the damage was already lessening. Early in the midday he came to a small town. He was stopped at the main road by the sheriff.

"Stop! Go back, we don't want your kind here!" Brandishing a shotgun the sheriff stood in the middle of the road on a makeshift barricade blocking Jacob's path, more armed men could be seen along the barricade. Jacob replied "and what kind is that? A looter, you'd take what little we've got, we've got children to feed so we're not sharing. So now just you go and turn around and don't come back here." Jacob wasn't really surprised by the answer the sheriff gave, but at the moment he was desperate for some water and a bite to eat wouldn't come amiss as well. So stopping in the road he raised his hands and turned slowly around; "look I've got no weapons and I'm really just passing through. I'm trying to make it to a friends place he lives beyond sacremento (check). But if you can just spare me some water I would really appreciate it."

The sheriff looked at him as he stood there in the street. His stance was very non-threatening and he looked really tired and worn out. When the flashes had happened everybody had been shocked and wondering what was going on. To the sheriff it had been obvious what the flashes where even before they could see the ominous shape of mushroom clouds in the distance. He had gotten his deputy to ride around using the speaker to urge everybody to get inside and stay inside until the all clear came. They didn't notice much of direct effects of the blasts the distance between them and the coastal cities being large enough to dissipate the effect of the blasts. The earth had shook like the effects of a small earthquake. And then a few minutes after the first flashes the town had been hit by a few strong and oddly warm wind gusts, the remnants of the shockwaves from the blasts. To the west a dark wall of smoke had begun rising to the heavens as anything flammable within reach of the heatwave from the bombs had been ignited virtually instantaneous.

If one looked through binoculars from a vantage point, as the sheriff had done, one saw angry red licks of flame reaching to the sky punctuating the billowing smoke columns. He had watched for a while as it grew darker and cold fear settled in his heart. And in a very short time the sky had become dark, as dark as night. At some point a severe electrical storm had picked up. He knew that it would probably start to rain pretty soon and any rain that would fall know would be radioactive. So following the advice he had given the townspeople he got inside abd with foresight turned on the taps getting every body to fill anything that could hold water. As true night settled the rain had fallen for a short while. He knew that after the rain there might be a short while when they could go about before the fallout would start to fall. So he didn't give the all clear sign just yet. As he expected the next day the fallout started, it looked like simple ash but if you held a Geiger teller anywhere near it, it would go like mad he new.

They had trouble with the refugees who had started to come through last night. They had been demanding food and board, most people had been prepared to help but when people refused to give their own emergency supplies it had gotten nasty. Some of the refugees had produced weapons; god only knew where they got those from if they had started out after the blast. They had threatened people it had gotten pretty bad and he had been forced to shoot one. The others had been disarmed those who weren't involved with the disturbance where simply turned out. Those who had been involved had been stripped of their weapons, supplies and vehicles and ran out of town. After that they had barricaded the entrances into town and turned everybody around.

Now he was looking at the guy in the road 40 something, good suit, walking shoes and a medic bag slung over a shoulder. Dusty as hell and he looked really tired. The guy in the road started talking again; "Look there are a lot of people coming this way and I want to stay ahead of them. Just give me some water, and if you feel inclined to, a bite to eat and I'll be on my way." The sheriff mulled it over a bit and decided to give the guy something, he just didn't have it in him, to let an innocent suffer. He motioned to Ed, his deputy; "Go on Ed get a jerry can of water and give him some food as well. Ah Sheriff!" Said Ed; "I thought we decided on turning people away. Yes we did Ed, but it just don't sit right with me. So I'm going to give this fellow something to drink and eat and that'll be the end of it. Now shoo go on get that water and food."

As Ed shuffled of to get the water the Sheriff turned to Jacob. "What's like out there?" He asked. "I didn't see to much myself," said Jacob. "But it looks bad. My office was burned to the ground and we where some way of from the blast. Most people reacted badly and stayed out in the fallout. So there are going to be a lot of dying people around. You really should turn people away, it won't be long before outbreaks of all kinds of deceases will start. And the people who stayed out in the fallout are already being affected. I passed people with blisters in their face from the fallout, and some where armed. Seal off your town, and hide your supplies just in case." The sheriff offered Jacob some coffee from a thermos can which he gratefully accepted.

"So," Jacob asked the sheriff. "Any idea who started this mess? None whatsoever," said the sheriff. "This is al so out of the blue. It might be that terrorist started this of or some event in the Middle East. Some of those defences where pretty much automated on both sides. One of the townspeople reckons he saw a missile launch a while before the bombs hit, so it's a save bet that we got our licks in as well. We didn't get a time between launch and the time the bombs fell so no way of knowing if we fired first or they did. I reckon it's a save bet that either some politician screwed up or some military guy got trigger happy." Jacob looked thoughtful, it's weird nobody I've talked to has any idea what happened. Or who or what event triggered it. Have you got anything over the radio? No" The sheriff said. It's been quiet all around. There is a lot of interference so we couldn't pick up much what we got was garbled badly seemed like some grunts survived but nothing organized."

Just then Ed returned with the water, he had a jerry can of water strapped to a back pack with some canned food, a bacon and egg sandwich from a vending machine and a blanket courtesy of Betsy at the station. Jacob accepted it gratefully, it was far more than he had expected or had reason to believe he could get. The sheriff smiled; "Betsy' got a good heart and I reckon you can really use it." Jacob agreed wholeheartedly. The sheriff turned to Ed once again; "Ed, just give this nice gentleman a lift to the old bridge, that way we're sure he's out of town and we save him a good leg of his journey." He grinned at Jacob who laughed for the first time since the bomb fell. After shaking the sheriff's hand he got into the patrol car with Ed and grinning he took a huge bite from the sandwich. This was his first bit of real luck in three days.

Ed turned out to be a very likeable man as well, once he got over his natural suspicion, and they got to talking pretty soon. Ed was a real family man with a two kids and a wife and he was very afraid of what was going to happen now. He wondered what kind of life they would have in a post apocalyptic world. Pretty soon they where at the old bridge, the trip had taken some 20 miles of his journey and Jacob was very glad. As they stopped at the bridge Ed turned to Jacob; "I could take you a whilst further you know, up to the hills there it's only 'bout an quarter of an hour drive." But Jacob refused "You've got a wife and kids to take care off and I'm pretty sure that the sheriffs going to need you in the time ahead, it's going to get difficult I suspect. Well anyway said Ed you might make it to the old Johnsons place, you can hole up there for the night" Shaking hands they parted ways and Jacob began his journey through the hills.

He started walking at a fast pace slower than he had the previous day but still quiet fast. He didn't see anybody after being dropped of by the deputy which was good, it meant he was still ahead of the main flow of refugees on foot and that those with cars had already moved on. He did not want to meet those who had been run out of the town. They would probably be more than a bit belligerent and not in a friendly mood.

Before the end of the day he came to a small and rundown deserted house, presumably this was Johnson's place as the name Johnson was stencilled in fading green letters on a mail box leaning at an odd angle on a very crooked looking pole. The mailbox had also very obviously been used as target practice by someone, it was riddled with bullet holes. Old stained curtains hung limply in the sills of the broken windows. Cautiously he walked up to the front porch of the house.

The front door opened with a loud creaking sound as the hinges protested against the unfamiliar strain of being used. It was obvious that kids used to hang out here. Amongst the dust that covered everything lay discarded candy wrappers, food cartons from take away and empty bottles and cans of everything ranging from ginger ale to hard liquor. He crossed through the former living room to the old kitchen. A three legged table and a rather sad looking chair stood forlornly in the middle of the kitchen covered with the debris of meals eaten with rather to much gusto. In the corner stood an old fashioned iron stove. A hand pump provided water and was still working. Jacob thought that the fallout wouldn't have effected the ground water yet so he decided to fill the empty bottles he had. On an after thought he decided to salvage some of the soda bottles and fill them as well. Most of the doors of the cupboards where gone and the cupboards very empty. Rummaging in the drawers however, yielded an old can opener and a pannikin with a broken handle. These he could use to open up the tins he had and cook them.

A second door led into another smaller room which was cleaner than the other area's. He decided that he would sleep in this room as it was less cluttered with rubbish. Returning to the kitchen he broke the table into pieces and used them to build a fire in the stove. Tonight he would feast, he decided, using some of the canned food he made a hot meal. After dinner he made his bed with some of the curtains. As he settled in to sleep he froze. A car had just pulled up outside. Quickly and quietly he got to his feet. He peeked around the corner of the kitchen, now he could hear some arguing going on outside. Two tired voices drifted in from outside. Apparantly they where arguing about the merits of stopping here.

"Oh! Alex can't we find a motel or something? I just know there's going to be cockroaches in there and other creepy crawly thingies!" Whined a high pitched woman's voice. "Honey, I doubt that anybody will take us in. It's everyone for them selves now, besides with what would we pay for rooms and food. It's not like money is still worth anything." A deep baritone male voice shot back. "We could give them your watch. I never did like it, its to flashy!" The woman shot back. "Honey it's a Rolex, its not flashy its stylish, state of the art and expensive. I'm not giving it away and besides what goes for money goes for jewellery as well, nobody is going to trade it for something which means life or death." A third voice then said "Oh just shut up you two, the world has just ended and you're arguing about fashion accessories.

On that statement they entered the house. The two who had been told to shut up where dressed for a party although their clothes where looking slightly rumpled now. The woman was petit with dark brown hair she was dressed in a crinkled but very fetching blue cocktail dress. She looked tired and irritated her makeup was a mess; a small gash on her forehead had crusted over. The man was a very skinny and nerdy looking young man he was dressed in dark casual clothes; stains marred his clothes with darker smudges. A few bruises where visible in his face and some small cuts where visible on his hand. The third member of the group was obviously of Mexican descent. He was a small man not five foot ten and very slim. He was covered with dried mud and soot and his dark hair was matted to his head. He definitely looked the worse for wear. Before the threesome could start arguing in full force they noticed Jacob.

For what seemed a long time they stared at each other, they all relaxed as they noticed that no one was carrying any weapons. The Mexican guy was the first to speak; "Um hi! Um we didn't think there was anybody in here and we need a place to crash so we thought we stay here but we'll leave if that is what you want and we've been on the road for a long time now and we're really tired and we don't want to cause any trouble we just want some water." He just rambled on for a while until Jacob raised a hand and said "all right. You can stay here there's still some water in the pump so you can get some from there. I have no idea though how long it's still going to be safe to drink from it."

They all relaxed and Jacob introduced himself, the nerds name was Alex the woman was called Honey at which Jacob couldn't suppress a smile. Honey started complaining about everything she saw when she looked around the front room with Alex dutifully following her and making similar comments. The Mexican guy just turned his eyes upwards and muttered quietly; "Madre de dios." He then introduced himself as Charlie. Jacob laughed a bit at that statement and offered Charlie some water from a cup with a broken ear he had rescued from the kitchen. As Charlie took the proffered water Jacob asked him what he had seen and where he dug up this very odd couple. "Well that is a very long story with some odd twists." Jacob grinned, "we've got time so spill." With that Charlie recounted his story of Judgement day and the following days.


	5. Chapter 5

Ok here we go once again, I do not own the world of the terminator no money is being made and its just for fun, at least I'm having fun and I hope all those people out there who are reading this are having fun aswel Enjoy Chapter 5; The Crossing :-)

When Charlie woke up the following day he noticed that a thick layer of ash had covered the surrounding country side and still more was falling from the sky. A sickly grey light permeated through a thick layer of clouds. Every now and again an electrical storm flashed overhead and rain fell turning the ash into a thick mud like layer. He decided to stay put for the day. He watched all day as the river turned into a grey sluggish ash filled mud stream. Thunder flashed and roared in the sky. He was feeling increasingly despondent and spent the day in misery under the bridge. Smoke still billowed from the ruins of the city and the horizon in the direction of coast continued to be obscured by thick smoke. Just before sunset he noticed that the smoke was diminishing, he could see further and saw that there actually where several smoke pillars. Judging by the positions of the smoke pillars every city on the coast had been hit by the same disaster.

The following day the fall of ash from the heavens had lessened enough to tempt him out into the open. And he needed to as well. It had started to rain more seriously in the night and the river was rising, he needed to get out from underneath the bridge before the water cut him off. So gathering his meagre supplies in his bedroll he set out on foot. The rain had washed away most of the ash from the road. His going was slow at first. The road was blocked in some places by burnt out car wrecks, he didn't look to closely at them after the first wreckage. The things inside where to horrifying. The road in places had obviously been melted over as well. Only where objects blocked the view of the coast side was the road unhampered. After a few miles he found that in those places there where still car wrecks but they where more ordinary. As if something had happened to make the drivers loose control over their vehicles in stead of being hit by some lateral force.

As he got further away from the coast the evidence of the ash fall lessened and he came upon less and less cars which had been effected by the disaster. As he turned around a bend in the road he heard voices arguing. A man and a woman where having a full blown argument in the middle of the road. "Alex! You shouldn't have been drinking!" Screeched the woman. "What about you, Honey you where drinking just as bad. And I don't recall you protesting that much when we left Bert's place. You just wanted to get home! Aw man there's no signal here damned. That tower back there must be out frigging hell" the man said looking in frustration at his cell phone. "What a mess" Said the guy. "Well if you hadn't drunk so much we wouldn't have spent the day in the ditch we would be home in LA sipping Pina Colada and Champagne." The woman continued to whine. "Oooh and I broke a nail as well."

Charlie stared dumbfounded at the couple, they hadn't noticed him yet so he decided to walk up to them. "Hi there folks! Startled they stared at him. The woman started to speak to the man "Alex don't trust him, he's a hobo look at him he's all dirty and with a bum roll. Don't let him come near me. Relax Honey I'm sure he's no threat I'll just give him some money and maybe he can walk to the nearest town and have somebody swing by to pick us up." Charlie sighed, these two wheren't going to be much of a help he reckoned but still he had to ask. "Don 't you know what's going on?" He asked them, they looked at him in a odd way. "Look I'm no bum, I have a job or rather I had a job until Saturday just like everybody else. Didn't you two notice anything the fires the earthquake, nothing?"

They just continue to look at him blankly. "I mean I was trapped in my basement and had to crawl out through the sewer just to escape the fire. Man everything down at the coast has been on fire. Look at the sky near the coast those smoke pillars ain't natural," he said waving his hand to his back. The couple seemed to notice the smoke for the first time. An, "Oh my Gosh," escaping from the woman's lips and a much more colourful curse from the man was the response he got. They stood there staring aghast at the smoke columns. It was clear that every major urban centre visible on the coast from this distance was marked by an ominous smoke pillar. It was the man, Alex whom remarked; "What was it? A nuclear attack? I mean earthquakes wouldn't set such a large area on fire, would they?" Only now did Charlie realize that it was the most logical explanation for the events he had felt and seen.

"Oh my god! We where at a party Saturday at a place in the hills and when we went home we drove of the road we where both more or less unconscious yesterday. What are we going to do, we're stuck here there's not going to be any help. I couldn't get the car running again. So we just got the clothes on our back, nothing else." Charlie smiled, "If I can get it running will you allow me to come with you? I have nowhere to go anyway and going back to the coast doesn't look to smart." The man brightened up considerably at that suggestion despite the woman's misgivings, she doubted that he could get the car to work still thinking of Charlie as a bum. "Let's have a look at that car, appearances can be deceiving I'm actually a mechanic, a very good one I might add," Charlie said grinning at the woman's snide remarks. With a determined look he went to the car which was lying in a ditch to the side. It was a Landrover and a very cool car at that. He checked the car's electrical system and it was still ok. Fortunately the car had been fully equipped for all terrain purposes. This was despite the fact that its owners would never had dreamed of taking it anywhere where its paintjob could get mud on it. They not only had a tow cable in the car but also a pulley system to go with the winch. With some luck they managed to get the ship out of the ditch.

It took him the better part of the day after that to get the car running but after some hard work, a little ingenuity and some spit he had the engine running again. Alex had taken his coat of and rolled up his sleeves and had been very helpful whilst he wasn't a mechanic he was an electronics engineer with a keen mind for technical problems once he got pass his own feelings of uselessness. Honey had sat on a rock complaining and whining the whole time. After they fixed the car they had to decide where to go. They decided to head up further into the hills. Hoping to find shelter in some of the small towns which lay out there. They got into the car after a meal which Charlie shared with them and they set out eastwards deeper into the hills.

The first destination they chose was the house of Alex's and Honey's friend Bert. But as they got closer they saw smoke coming from the house. They had thought that the house had been set on fire by the heatwave despite not having seen too much of the effects here. As they drove up to the Smokey ruins they saw that the fires where far more recent and they also saw the body of Bert's wife lying behind some bushes. From the way here clothes had been torn and the bullet holes it was very obvious what had happened to her, it wasn't a pleasant sight. They saw some tire marks in the sand and after some deliberation they decided to check out the place figuring that whoever had done this was long gone. Apparently someone had attacked the house and it hadn't gone all to their plan as they also found what they figured to be the body of one of the assailants. He looked pretty average the only distinguishing factor now being the bullet hole in his forehead, it was rather large. They found two more bodies, all belonging to seemingly unremarkable men; they didn't look like gang members or thugs at all. Whoever they where they apparently hadn't been expecting Bert to put up a fight at all. . Bert had always loved firearms and it was obvious he hadn't gone out without a fight. He had paid a price for it though.

They found his body out in the back; by the looks of things he had been alive when his attackers had taken out their anger on him. Whether the marauders had plundered the house and then set it alight or that Bert had done it they couldn't tell. After they had a quick look around too see if the raiders weren't around they decided that they would do the decent thing and do something about the bodies. They buried Bert and his wife in the shade of a tree Alex and Honey knew they both loved. The bodies of their murderers they threw on the still smouldering fires. After that they scoured the area for anything they could use. Alex knew that Bert had his own fuel supply for his farming equipment and they found that the fuel depot was still functional as the fire had only destroyed the main building. Maybe the raiders had been planning to return for it but for now it was a heaven sent for them. The work sheds and guesthouse where still intact and these they searched for anything useful. The guesthouse had been ransacked and not much had been left intact. They did find some rucksacks and sleeping bags which they took. Another gem was in the weapons locker.

The raiders had missed the locker because it didn't look like one. It looked like an ordinary solid bench. But Alex knew that if you pushed a certain brick the top would click open. Inside was a second lid locked by a cipher lock too which Alex knew the combination. Bert had been so proud when he had this built and installed he had shown it to him and two other friends. Inside they found the weapons Bert didn't keep in the house. There where three guns inside, an elephant gun Bert had bough as a souvenir in Africa. He had been very pleased with it, it had never been used to hunt with but Bert sometimes showed it to friend and had let them fire it. Alex had and it had one hell of a punch. There was also an AK47 a memento from the first Gulf war where Bert had served as a lieutenant before becoming one of the states leading layers. The other gun was an old fashioned Thompson submachine gun, a real collector's item with both a stick magazine as well as a drum magazine. All in mint condition, having been lovingly cared for by Bert.

After a short discussion they decided to take the entire gun making equipment that was still whole. Charlie and Alex figured they might have a use for it and the Landrover had space enough. They also filled every Jerry Can they could find with gasoline and loaded them onto the Landrover, fortunately there where plenty of them. Some further digging yielded some old camping gear, the marauders had found Bert's camping gear but they had only taken the new equipment. This still left them with an old tent and the sleeping bags and rucksacks. There where some other odds and ends they took, rope, tools and even some overalls. All in all this was a virtual treasure trove for the recently homeless.

That left them with the problem of food; they only had what Charlie had found in the campervan. At best that would last them another four days or so but no more than that, with the guns they could hunt for food but none of them where good hunters. Also the problem of contamination was nagging them. Through luck they hoped to have avoided the worst of it for now but animals wouldn't have. They didn't now how to avoid that as they didn't have any Geiger counters. There best hope was to get to an area with minimal exposure and hope for the best. That would mean getting higher up into the mountains, further away from civilization and any supplies. It was one of the reasons they decided to strip the place bare of anything even remotely useful.

After loading up the Landrover they decided to leave this place of ruin and set up camp a little further up hoping to avoid any human predators attracted by the smoke and dying fires. After leaving the place they drove on for a few miles until they saw a small town. There was a roadblock manned by a sheriff and some men. All of them where armed. Slowly they drove up to the road block. Stopping a bit away from the barrier they got out of the car. After a quick discussion Honey stayed in the Landrover with the AK47 in easy reach. They where already learning that they should count on the unexpected and to cover their bases. Alex and Charlie walked up to the roadblock; just to be safe Charlie had shoved the old revolver into his waistband at his back.

The sheriff halted them as they got up to the roadblock. "Sorry folks, just you hold it right there. Before we let you get any closer we need to now some things" said the sheriff. "All right," Alex replied. "What do you want to know?" The sheriff pulled out a writing pad with some printed papers. "Okay. First of: Do any of your party have criminal records or ties to criminals or criminal organisations? No? Well that's ok then," The sheriff continued through a whole list of questions some 42 questions in all which seemed to be designed to determine if they could be trusted and had anything useful to the town, either in skills or possessions. After the final question the sheriff looked at his list and didn't lift his eyes from it. "I'm sorry folks but you're going to have to move on, you just don't have any skills or things we need that would earn you a place here;" he finally said after having stared at the list for some time. "It's not personal, you'll understand but we just can't afford to take on extra mouths who don't add something of value to us." Alex and Charlie had already thought that this might be the case as the list of questions had droned on and on. So they looked at each other and shrugged. "Any chance of getting some water," Asked Charlie. "The sheriff smiled briefly, "got any water bottles to fill," he replied and pointed to a tanker which stood to the side of the blockade. Despite being disappointed by the fact that they couldn't get anything else in town they where relieved by the courtesy offered by the sheriff and gratefully returned to the car to fetch the water bottles. After having filled up their water bottles they asked for directions which the sheriff gave them. He told them a small road circumvented the town and would lead them back to the highway in a few miles. They then took their leave and went on their way.

And that lead them to the cabin and Jacob. They where very glad that they had been tired enough to forget to bring weapons with them otherwise it might have gotten ugly. After their conversation they settled in for the night. They parked the car behind the cabin at Jacobs insistence and then fetched the weapons and other supplies from the car. They decided that since they where going to stay there they might as well cooperate. The three men decided that keeping a watch would be wise. Especially after they had shared their stories, they knew that both the cabin and the car would be prime possessions of any survivors let alone their other supplies. Jacob offered to take the first watch, since he wasn't armed and didn't ask for a weapon it was easy for the others to trust him.

The night passed uneventful and in the morning they decided to continue together to Jacobs friends place. Jacob was glad what would've been a week long trek at least no became an easy days drive. And he wouldn't be arriving empty handed at his friends' house. The fuelled up Landrover and equipment the others carried would be a boon. At first Jacob had been surprised at their choice to bring along the gun making equipment but as he mulled it over it made sense, a lot of sense. This new world they found themselves in was going to be dangerous. The possession of weapons and the means to maintain them would be an important advantage. With the equipment they had they should be able to make ammunition for guns and perform maintenance on the guns. If they found enough raw materials they might even be able to make simple rifles as well. Having a mechanic like Charlie was in the light of things a boon as well. He was surprised that the townsfolk hadn't offered Charlie a place, maybe they hadn't realised that his skills would be beneficial as well or they had thought that they had enough people with similar skills. Anyway there loss was there gain.

As they set out that morning the sky was grey and overcast, Jacob figured that would be the way it would be for some time to come. There was no telling how much energy and dust had been released into the atmosphere and how those two factors would effect weather patterns in the coming time. Occasionally they could see clouds gathering into small storm systems where lightning crackled, thunder roared and rain fell heavily to the ground. One such a storm grew in their path and at Alexes insistence they pulled over feeling the weather to be to dangerous to go on. The scenery had changed from rolling hillsides cut by the occasional riverbeds with mainly shrubbery and grass to rugged terrain and lush green vegetations. They pulled the car over in the shelter of a cliff face beneath which the road ran. The storm hit and lightning strikes hit a small cluster of trees. Witch a sudden crack, audible despite the distance and the constant hammering of the drenching downpour on the roof of the Landrover, a tall tree toppled onto the road blocking it completely. They where very glad that they had decided to stop the car, if they had continued driving they realized they might have been hit by that tree or by the lightning it self.

They didn't have to wait long for the wind to drive the storm away. Just as they where getting ready to leave the sound of the water falling on the roof changed. Instead of the fall of heavy raindrops it turned into a continuous clatter of a stream of water as the water coming of the cliff was turning into a waterfall. As they set of the trickle turned into a small muddy rivulet covering the spot they had been in into a muddy pool. Suddenly the whole of the topsoil on top of the cliff came down burying their parking spot beneath a thick layer of mud, vegetation and other debris. The road back was blocked by the spill. They drove onto the place where the tree blocked the road. There was no way around it so Alex and Charlie hooked up the winch to tow it away while Jacob took an axe to the heavier branches to make the tree more moveable. It took them several hours to clear the road.

They soon learned that what they had thought would be a leisurely drive took in fact an arduous trek. It was as if the full force of nature was turned against them. The constant heavy storms where speeding up natures reclaiming of the landscape from human occupation. But their luck held. True it was slow going but no obstacle was insurmountable. Once the road was completely blocked by a landslide but careful examination of a roadmap showed a small road which bypassed the blockage. And so it went on small streams where quickly turning into churning maelstroms threatening bridges and occasionally swamping the roads they travelled by. One piece of luck had been their food situation. Jacob was a keen hunter and excellent marksman. Early one evening while they where traversing a valley which they wanted to pass before setting up camp a deer had been caught in the headlights. Wasting no time Jacob had grabbed the AK47 and shot it. Even Honey had refrained from complaining as they built a fire that night and roasted some of the meat and eat to their hearts content for the first time since the bombs fell. They smoked the remainder of the meat on an open fire hoping to cure the meat enough to last them some time. It proved a waisted effort but Charlies luck and skill provided them with more food. He improvised some fishing tackle and each evening he managed to catch some fish from the swollen rivers. All in all it took them four days instead of one and Jacob counted himself lucky. He would most likely have never made it on foot or only after weeks. And the way the weather was turning it might start to snow, already there was a chill in the night air.


	6. Chapter 6

Ok here we go once again, I do not own the world of the terminator no money is being made and its just for fun, at least I'm having fun and I hope all those people out there who are reading this are having fun as well, be sure to let me know if you do! Enjoy Chapter 6 (and best wishes for 2008); Romantic interlude? 

When they at last reached their destination after several more days the winter was definitely on in the highlands. On the last day in the high pass, rain had turned to sleet and, fortunately, sleet had quickly turned into snow. Even as they where now descending from the mountain passes the weather was colder than it should be this time of year. Jacob was starting to wonder if they would be welcome. Ray had been a good friend, but they hadn't spoken to each other for over a year. But still they weren't coming in empty handed. Even if he didn't take them in for friends' sake he could be persuaded that they had skills and equipment which would aid in long term survival. As they drove up to the lane that lead to Ray's farm they noticed a sign had been nailed up next to the road stating that trespassers would be shot on sight. They decided that they would approach carefully honking the horn every now and again to draw attention. As they slowly drove forwards they came to a barrier across the road. Stopping the car Jacob got out. He stepped up to the barrier and stood in the road way with his arms slightly stretched out from his body showing he wasn't armed. They continued honking the horn and after what seemed like an eternity a voice called out. "You taking an awful big risk there didn't you read the sign? Yeah!" Jacob replied. "But I reckon my friend Ray wouldn't really shoot someone on sight if he wasn't acting aggressive. You know Ray?" The voice called out. "Went to college with him and to law school, he only passed the bar 'cause he could copy my answers." Sniggering the voice replied "That sounds like him all right. Ok you can come up to the house the others stay here. John you stay here and keep an eye on those folk."

Slowly Jacob climbed the barrier and a man walked up to him. "You have to be blindfolded, we don't want nobody seeing our defences," the man said. Jacob shrugged his ascent and let himself be blindfolded. They walked in silence up to the compound. His guide gently guiding him without a stumble. As they got to the building the man called out to Ray. " Hey Ray we've got a guy here who says he knows you; you want to take a look?" Jacob heard a door opening after a moment the Ray called out "Jacob! Man is that you? You look like shit, take of his blindfold, Jacobs ok!" Ray called out to the man guiding him. As his blindfold came of Ray took him in a bear hug, "Man Armani suits don't hold up to this kind of shit" He grinned at Jacobs suit which was torn in places and generally covered in mud. Jacob smiled "Yeah well you try crossing the mountains in this shit the main road is blocked in places and soon the passes wont be passable at all. I was lucky to be able to hook up with some people with a Landrover. What kind of people?" Asked Ray. "Just some folk I met on the road; One of them is a first class mechanic and the other is a computer whiz who owns the Landrover and his woman." Ray looked a bit doubtful; "I don't know Jacob, we can't have wasters here everybody got to pull his or her fair share of the work. You, I know can handle everything and the mechanic is good to have around. But a nerd and his hanger on?" Ray replied. "Oh, well you won't be wanting the gun making equipment they brought?" Jacob replied slyly. "Gun making equipment? Tell me more." Ray asked animated. Jacob was taken aback by this enthusiasm but hid it. Ray seemed more than a little interested in that, more than he had anticipated.

They walked up to the main building. It had changed since Jacob had been here last. A new and even larger barn had been erected next to the old one. Everywhere Jacob looked he could see people busy either working construction or moving supplies. Jacob could see several people coming in and out of the old barn, it was obviously being emptied out. Some people where busy working on a new ditch which had some structures adjacent to it. Apparently they where supposed to be very sound as they where pouring concrete into what looked to Jacob like deep pits. A little further back some other men where busy hooking up a generator to a windmill obviously to provide extra power. He also saw a group of men unloading some materials from old army trucks probably from a dump store.

All the while Jacob continued to tell just what kind of equipment they had Ray led him into the house. When they sat down Ray had some food and drink brought up. After Jacob had finished Ray looked thoughtful for a while. Then he spoke up; "Well that gun making equipment is a heaven sent that's for sure, so you're all welcome. I'll have somebody guide them in. They'll have to earn their keep of course. The people here are actually mostly my neighbours and the towns folk we decided to stick together for mutual defence and support, there's some fifty of us in all. Since my place is the best suited because of it's seize and because I stocked up for just this occasion we decided to gather here. We've pooled all our resources and we reckon we've got enough supplies to last us for at least a year maybe two without having to organize a expedition to the nearest town. We've stripped the nearest gas station bare and we want to send another team to another one we think is in easy range. Your Landrover will come in handy there as well an extra hauler is always useful."

Indicating a big man whose bare arms where full of tattoos, he said "Waldo there is another heaven sent, he owned a small army surplus store where a lot of people used to pick up gear for camping trips. Thanks to him we've got three old army trucks and a lot of weapons. They're old, mostly M16's and some .50 machineguns but still better than hunting rifles. Best of all where the Meals Ready to Eat, and other foodstuff he had. That stuff will keep for ages, together with my supplies that will be good for later on when the perishables have gone."

Jacob got curious; what's so useful about the gun making equipment, I thought you had some yourself, and why do you need all that firepower? Yeah well, there has been some very worrying news that makes me itching for more firepower. I'll tell you all when your friends are here so I don't have to repeat myself. But it looks bad Jacob. Bad man." Ray looked down and didn't look up for some time. At the sound of a car approaching he got up and said; "come your friends are coming. Tonight at dinner I'll explain what is going on. We've got plenty of weapons but few means to really maintain them so I need to check just what kind of stuff you brought and have it placed in the workshop. I'll get Zach to assign you and your friends bunks and to work parties."

That after noon Jacob and his party spent their time settling in. Alex and Charlie where placed on the technical team and spent their afternoon setting up the equipment they brought from Bobs home in the cellar of the main house. Together with the equipment Ray had and some of the stuff that came from Waldo's yard Charlie thought they could not only maintain the weapon supply they had but also manufacture simple new weapons, similar to the RPG's used by guerrilla groups around the world. Charlie reckoned that if they could get some other tools they might be able to produce some really efficient weapons. But they would need more extensive tool making equipment for that. Jacob was assigned as a driver one of the scavenging teams and was busy preparing for the trip to the other petrol station. He soon proofed his worth in pointing out that if they where going to strip the place they didn't really need to bring cooling bags and stuff. He figured that if the fridge was even still running it would be the easiest to simply take it along. That make good sense in any case cause they could always use the extra cooling capacity. The leader of the expedition made a note to return to the other gas station and any other places where they had left the fridges. Jacob thought it might be worth their while to scavenge the equipment to see if the technicians could rig a cool storage room.

Honey proofed difficult to place until she made a passing remark about the people at the compound not being environmentally friendly and not recycling enough. It turned out that before she met Alex she had been very deep into the environmental life style due to her then boyfriend. Her afternoon after that was spent planning a recycling regime for the compound. They weren't the only new additions to the compound. Their had been some people at the gas station who had all been allowed to come. It turned out that the compound was less stand offish than the sign at the entrance led them to believe. Anybody who was willing to pull their fair share of the work and accept Ray's leadership was welcomed. The other newcomers where just as curious as to why the compound was being turned into a fortress as Jacobs group. What Jacob had thought was a ditch was a trench, the constructions build next to them where casemates and gun emplacements. Together with odd remarks made by the people who had been at the compound longer made them all very curious.

After the evening meal the newcomers where gathered into a small room. Ray and two others from the original group where there as well. "Ladies and gentlemen" Ray started. "I do apologize for the mystery surrounding all the preparations you've seen. As you can guess we're expecting trouble, big trouble in fact. I've asked Sheriff John and Dr Paul here to verify what I'll tell you, they have heard the same thing as I did and are members of our executive council" There where nods all around the room and people acknowledge the two who where flanking Ray. "I think that all of you remember where you where when the bombs starting falling. I was in the back mending a fence when a saw the first flashes in the direction of Nevada. Marie and I grabbed the kids and rushed to our shelter. I turned on the Radio to see if I could get anything most was static, so I tuned into some military channels." He paused and took a deep breath. " I tell you those folk where as dumbfounded as the rest of us. The sense I got listening to those folks that they had been hit completely by surprise. One even stated that the firing of their own missiles was so sudden that they had started firing even though there where maintenance workers still in the silo's. Half that base had been destroyed by the firing of the missiles." Again Ray paused assessing the faces of his audience. Most where aghast, Honey had turned several shades paler. Nobody had thought that there own government could be so callous as to even allow that possibility.

He continued after the shocked gaspes and protests had silenced. "Some where asking who was in charge, then all of a sudden a clear voice said. I am. That person said his name was John Connor, he gave no rank but he told in brief what had happened. A small but world wide terrorist group had seized control of the worlds nuclear arsenals and launched an all out nuclear assault on the whole of world in an effort to eradicate humanity. Their ultimate goal to create a new race of Ubermenschen and rid the world of the Untermenschen. As their group was only limited in number they had also seized control of an advanced US program for research into the building of autonomous fighting equipment and would use the products from that program to terminate the last pockets of human survivors. John Connor stated he was the last member of a combined effort from several secret services who had tried but failed to foil this plot.

Connor also told how he had been at the research base where those machines where being developed when the terrorists had seized control of the equipment and how the base personnel had been wiped out by their own devices. Connor and a civilian, the daughter of the base commander Katharine Brewster, being the only survivors to escape the assault by fleeing whilst being chased by, what Connor called, terminators. Eventually reaching a hardened shelter they had destroyed their pursuers but had been trapped at the base by the machines before they could act to stop the nuclear assault. Now they where hoping to be able to organize the survivors from there. He warned everybody that soon there would be machines out there hunting and killing people, he also gave these machines their name, Hunter Killers HK for short. In general according to Connor the machines would take on three forms, tracked vehicles armed with dual Gatling guns, aerial robots armed with heat seeking missiles and metallic humanoid machines which could use any weapon that humans could operate. Of these the last where obvious the most dangerous, fortunately Connor stated there weren't too many of those operational.

What Ray and the others hadn't been told by Connor was that there was no terrorist group, it was a program called SkyNet that had become self aware and had decided to eliminate the whole of the human race that was behind the plot. Not wanting to be made into a lunatic he had concocted the story he had told everybody so as to be able to take control of the resistance and not discredit himself up front. He hoped that in time he could build on a small inner circle and explain the truth to them. From that group out he could then slowly percolate the truth to the human survivors. What was worrying to Connor had been the virus assault and what the T800 had told them. That the virus had been part of SkyNets plan to seize control of the military installations and other assets. Obvious it had been preparing for this for some time. Initially SkyNet had acted in the instance of becoming self aware according to what his mother had been told by Kyle Reese. This time it had prepared itself, who knew what preparations it had made and if the Terminatrix had contacted it, what it had been told by the Terminatrix. For now within the military the presence of and corroboration of the story by General Brewsters daughter, Katharine led to reluctant acceptance of his story.

It had been difficult communicating with survivors as atmospheric disturbances caused by the assault made any communication spotty at best. And at first Ray and the others who had picked up the military radio chatter had discredited the story as contact was lost. However after a few days Paul had by chance picked up a panicked report by someone calling for help. The voice had been begging for help, machines where killing people in their homes by blocking their escape and setting fire to the buildings. The voice had stopped with the ominous announcement that the machines had shot down the door of his apartment building and where now setting fire to the building. Paul had lost all contact with the man after that.

And that had led to Ray, Paul and John contacting the other people in the area. At a meeting they had organized they had explained what they had heard and plans had been made not only to try and survive this as a community but to fortify Rays place and prepare for war. They had been unable to contact any military remnants or John Connor. It seemed they had taken to switching channels in a random fashion which the civilians couldn't get onto with their equipment. Alex said he might be able to help there. He thought he might be able to help there as the switching of channels couldn't be completely random. If he could catch enough of the chatter he might be able to track the sequence of frequency change.

Apart from Alex the group of newcomers was stunned into silence. Jacob looked at Ray and new that whatever the truth was for now Ray believed it and thought it was best to be prepared for the worst. One of the men who had come from the gas station exploded; "You think we're gonna believe that! It's a load of crap! Machines out to kill people, terrorist bent on killing the human race, it's ludicrous! It sounds like a bad James Bond plot." It was Jacob who responded; "Do you have any idea why or who started this crap? I don't. For the moment as farfetched as it sounds it just might be true. And if it is true, we'd better be prepared. And if it isn't it still is a good idea to get together and build defences. Who knows what's going to happen. There are going to be a lot of desperate people out there, looking for food and anything that will help for survival. If we stick together we stand a better chance of survival anyway. Now we can send out groups to gather supplies and not just the stuff that's immediately needed but also tools and other hardware and also raw materials, basically anything we can get our hands on."

He looked around at the group sensing that he had all their attention; "Everything we take for granted right now is going to become very, very scarce, and a small group doesn't have the right cross section of skills to be adaptable enough to cope with the demands that our new life will put on us. We've got skilled technicians but do the now how to melt metal and forge that into the implements we need? Sure we've got farmers here, but they are livestock farmers do they know enough about crop growing to ensure a steady supply of staple foods? And you can bet we are going to need things we have yet to even begin wondering about. So I myself am planning on staying and doing my part cause, wether or no these machines appear a community has more chance of surviving than anybody alone or a small group." He once again looked around even the doubter looked convinced. Jacob looked at Ray who once again started talking;

"OK people here's the deal. Like Jacob said whether or not Connor's telling the truth it still makes good sense to stick together. That's what we decided as a group. If you want to stay you're welcome in exchange for your full cooperation. John, Paul, Jennifer and me have been elected as the executive council and our word goes. If you want to leave that's your choice. You can take what you brought in with you, all though we'd might want to barter with you for some of your goods. We'll even give you a week supply of food and drink and all we ask of you in return is that you do spread the word even though you don't believe it. And if you think people are interested send them over but be careful, we don't want layabouts and as Jacob pointed out not everybody will be trustworthy."

The doubter raised his hand; "Jacob here has actually convinced me to stay, but my wife and children are still out there. Am I allowed to go and fetch them?" Ray looked at the man and then asked; "What's your name again? Tony." Replied the man. "Well where did you live Tony, you do realize that most cities have been destroyed? We live in a suburb of Grenville." He replied. Ray looked thoughtful and then replied "I think the executive committee has to discuss this, but I think we can kill to birds with one stone here." Looking at Paul he said; "Paul can you go find Jenny? I think she and Mary where looking at Honey's recycling plan." Then he turned back to the group; "I think everybody has enough to think about for right now. You don't have to decide right now but we would like a definitive answer in two days time from each and every one of you. Once you've decided we right your names up whether you choose to stay or not. We think that in time a record of who has been here will be handy if people come looking for relatives that's why we take everybody's name down."

As everybody started leaving the room, quietly discussing the news amongst themselves Ray motioned to Jacob and Tony; "Could you two hang on for a sec? I've got an idea about Tony's request and Jacob might be handy there as well." Just then Paul returned with Jenny. "So Ray what's so important, Honey's plan is really good and we should discuss it in detail and start implementing it." Jenny said. Ray smiled at the brusque speech of Jenny, she had been the local teacher at the preliminary school of the community and had ruled her tiny class with an iron hand. Which was exactly why he had wanted her on the council. She was well liked by all but firm enough to make any hard decisions needed.

"Ok, ok, Jenny, no need to bite my head off, and I agree with you we should implement some sort of recycling plan we'll look at the plan after this. But we have something else to discuss which I think is a bit more urgent. Tony here wants liberty to look for his family. I think we have two things to discuss: One; will we allow everybody to go and bring their family; Two; if we allow Tony to leave shouldn't we use it as a scrounging slash recon mission as well?" John turned out to be the sole opponent of allowing people to leave to fetch their family. So they decided to allow this. John did insist that they should only allow it after they had been talked to about the unlikelihood of family members surviving and the possibility of even finding them. As for Tony they decided that he would be allowed to go. They did explain the difficulties and the possibilities of finding his family. It was then that Ray spoke up; "I think we should send someone along and indeed turn this into a recon mission." Jenny asked; "Why should we do that?" Ray answered; "Because Grenville is the most likely place that that man was calling from who said that robots where killing people. If we want to verify their existence we have to look there. And if it isn't true Tony has a chance of finding his folk because the city hasn't been destroyed in the assault. We might also want to get in touch with the city's authorities and set up some sort of trade. We've got a lot of prime cattle we can trade for goods and supplies. So it's an all around win, win situation."

Jenny Spoke up again; "but won't we be bringing undue attention to ourselves? I mean right now, if these machines do exist they don't know about us. If we send someone to check them out won't they catch onto us? And what's to stop a big city from simply taking what they need from us? We can't possibly hope to stop a group as large as a city from taking what's ours by force." It was Tony who replied to that. "Well Jenny, if the machines even pause to check us out after they've killed us they probably won't be able to connect us to a specific place. But you can bet that if that threat is real sooner or later they are going to be looking for groups of survivors like us. So if we can get intel up front that would be beneficial to us. I mean we would know definitely if they exist and we might get a handle on what kind of force we have to deal with. On the other hand if its just dealing with the city we have to make it clear that a long term trading relation will be far more beneficial than a once of theft of our goods." Ray then said; "and that's exactly why I would like Jacob to go along. Jacob's an extremely good lawyer. He can sweet talk the candy from a hungry baby with a smile from the baby's granny to boot. I now he can handle himself as well and I trust him to pull this off in either case."

They all smiled at this colourful explanation of Jacobs power of persuasion. Jenny nodded thoughtful at this explanation. She realized that Tony was trying to sway her vote to a go but she also realized he was right in any case and it wouldn't do to start making decisions based on internal politics. Rays antics lightened the mood and after Jenny had agreed as well they settled on a three man expedition. The third man going with Tony and Jacob was one of Johns deputies named Jim. He knew all the routes between the compound and Grenville and was an excellent tracker. They also decided that they would check if anybody else had any relatives they wanted picked up from the city. As it was they found that two other members of their group had relatives there. The mother of one of the farmers lived there and the sister of one of the towns folk also lived there. They took down their addresses and marked directions on a map. Both also gave them letters to convince them to come with them. It was decided they would leave the day after tomorrow as tomorrow they would be busy preparing themselves.

It was decided they would take the Landrover Jacobs group had arrived with instead of the deputies Jeep as that could be traced to the compound. Apart from a two weeks supply of food and water they each took some weapons. The deputy took a carbine and his service revolver. Jacob brought the elephant gun and Charley gave him his Webley for close in. Tony settled on a M16 after receiving some instructions from Waldo on the use he felt comfortable enough with it. Apart from those weapons they all carried a few sticks of dynamite. They decided to take a small trailer with them to carry any salvage they found. They would be looking for any items on the priority list to salvage with medicines being on the top of that list, on the insistence of Alex they would also be looking for computer and electronics equipment as what was at the compound wasn't up to date according to Alex.

The day after the meeting they loaded up the Landrover and Tony was made familiar with his M16 by Waldo and Jim. They forced him to strip and reassemble the weapon and had him do some target practice as there was no telling when he would need to service the weapon in a pinch. Jim also taught Jacob and Tony some police hand signals for silent communication. They discussed their route to the city and each member of the team made themselves familiar with the route and the layout of the town. During the day the expedition to the nearby gas station got under way. Al three trucks went as well as an old Jeep. With the salvage team gone and several of the ranchers out herding their cattle to new grazing grounds. The compound was eerily silent even though there was still a lot of activity going on.

With Charley and Alex gone on the salvage trip and Ray busy discussing the recycling policy with Honey and the council members Jacob found him self on ends in the afternoon. They had finished loading up and had discussed their plans at length. Tony and Jim where doing some additional target practice and the occasional shot sounded out in the silent afternoon, so now he wandered around the compound alone. As he walked about in the late afternoon he came on a group of women who where busy working on the trench. Some where digging the trench and filling buckets with dirt while others filled sandbags from the buckets for use at the buildings or scattering the dirt away from the trench, trying to make the trench part of the landscape.

As he looked on one of the women working in the trench stood up and straightened her back. She looked at the others of the working party and said "take five ladies, I think we've earned something to drink now don't you all?" After that the ladies climbed out the trench via a ladder. The woman who had spoken tried to climb the trench directly but it was to steep and she slid back down. Wiping the sweat from her brow she looked up at Jacob. She had a petite figure and a pretty face with freckles now streaked with dust and grime from the work on the trench. Her red hair was tied up in a bun though a few errant streaks of red streamed across her face. Jacob stood still and looked at her and wondered how she had gotten here and if she had lost any family or friends in the past days. Apparently he was staring as the girl suddenly spoke up; "So are you just going to stand there staring or are you going to give me a hand up?" She said in a sarcastic tone though her tone was light and the smile on her tired face also reached her voice. Shocked out of his reverie, he smiled and extended his hand to her. "Hi there;" he said. "I'm not usually so dumb but all this has finally gotten to me. Looking at you ladies at work it really struck me that the world as we know it has come to an end."

"Yes, I suppose the changes are apparent in the little things like women who normally would never do such a thing digging trenches and preparing for war;" she said. Jacob had to agree. Not wanting to interrupt the conversation he asked her; "And what did you do before you started a career as a trench digger?" She laughed and looked at him seizing he up. "I was a housewife," she said holding her hand to her breast in a pose which stated that manual work had been far beneath her. "My husband was an up and coming executive in a big firm down south. We had bought a house here to be able get away from it all. He was at our place in the city at work when all this started. There was a big mushroom cloud over down that way so I reckon there is no way he got away." Jacob looked at her, she looked sad. "I'm sorry;" he said. "I shouldn't have asked. Oh don't be silly," she replied. There was no way you could have known, besides the magic was going from that. I do miss him though, I wonder what he would have thought about all this and what he would say if he saw me scraping up dirt and filling sandbags."

She had sat down on a fallen log which was behind the trench. The slapped her hand beside her in an invitation gesture. "Come sit down," she said. "You're to tall to talk up to," she said when he hesitated. "So what's your name tall and handsome, you came with that Landrover party yesterday right?" She said in a whimsical tone. "Jacob, at your service ma'am," he replied in an equally whimsically tone. "And might I enquire as to your name?" He asked keeping the conversation light. She laughed; "Sarah," she said. "Well Jacob now we are properly introduced can I ask about your significant other?" He grinned; "Apart from my ex I don't have a significant other, and she was in LA. So little chance of her showing up as well. Yes I came with Charley, Alex and Honey across the mountains."

She was silent for a moment; "what's it like out there? I mean we haven't seen to much of it all everything was far away. We saw some flashes and clouds in the distance but apart from that it's been quiet." Jacob stared in the distance for a while and thought about what had happened and what he had seen. Slowly he started telling her about the destruction of his office and the destruction he had seen on the way here as he talked she took his hand and squeezed it. When the other women returned they where still deep in conversation, thinking it best to leave the two talking there they decided to work on a different part of the trench and leave those two to talk.

Jacob and Sarah sat there talking on the tree trunk until the bell sounded summoning everyone for dinner when they headed to the hall together.

After dinner Jacob, Jim and Tony reviewed their plans and had planned to make an early night of it. But afterwards Jacob looked for Sarah he found her talking with some other women. She was so deep in conversation that she didn't notice him. Just as he was about to walk away she saw him and came to him. "So Jacob, all set for tomorrow?" She asked. "Yes." He said. "But I enjoyed our conversation earlier and wanted to talk some more. It's been refreshing after the past days to talk to someone else. What do you want to talk about?" She asked. "Oh everything," he said. "The meaning of life, the universe, fish how many stars there are in the evening sky and if they have planets and if every single one has life on it." She laughed; "Why the answer to that is 42 of course." He laughed even louder, and so deep in conversation they wandered of into the starlit night, the first in a long-time.

In the pre-dawn hours Tony found the couple sitting on the tree trunk where they had spent the afternoon. Smiling Tony shook Jacob awake; Startled the couple looked sheepishly around. "It's time to go Jacob," Tony said. "We've got your gear ready so if you just take your leave from your lady friend," he smirked and then continued, "we can leave." Jacob turned to Tony and asked; "Can you just give us a second or two Tony?" Tony smiled; "I'll do better than that, since we packed an early lunch you still got a minute or two, maybe even three." Jacob turned to Sarah after Tony had walked of chuckling to himself. "I'm not to good at goodbyes, I enjoyed talking to you last night it gave me a sense of normality and I would like to continue this when I return." Sarah smiled; "So would I Jacob, so you just be sure and return, don't take any chances and stay safe." She then stood on her toes a gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. He hugged her fiercely and then gently let her go. "I shall return;" he said. "Go get 'm general" she replied and then they took their leave.

Jacob quickly walked to where the Landrover was parked as he climbed in Tony and Jim chuckled softly. "Finally, the lover boy decides to join us." Jim remarked. Raising his eyes to the sky Jacob just shrugged. "Ok, we're going to use the highway right up until the junction which branches of to Oaksfield in the south. We'll follow the road to Oaksfield for about 30 miles. There's a branch off to another road which leads to Grenville. That road is little known and ends as a back road into the suburb where your wife should be. We'll stop a few miles before we reach the suburb and hide the car and Tony and I go in on foot. If we don't return within a day you have to assume we're either dead or captured. Return to the compound in that case.


	7. Chapter 7

Hi everyone, happy new year! Hope you all still got a complete set of limbs, digits and senses. Once again this is pure for the fun of it. Enjoy as Jacob and his friends start their exploration of the city! Chapter 7; Cityscape.

The trip was uneventful for the first few hours they'd passed empty gas stations every now and again. At noon when they had finished the first leg of their journey they stopped at an abandoned gas station. It had been plundered but most medications had been left behind. There where some first aid kits and some over the counter meds which they loaded into the trailer. Searching in the rubble they found an old laptop which they took as well. They found that there was still some petrol in the tanks so they topped up on fuel. They also filled up some jerry cans they had found in the building. After that they got on the road again. Here they saw some more evidence of looters. There where now more homesteads visible from the highway and some where burnt to the ground. At one point they saw a burnt out wreck next to the highway. As they drove by they scattered some buzzards who had been pecking at some dried scraps of flesh hanging from the bones of a body lying next to the wreck.

As they drove through a forest they saw that a tree had fallen and was blocking the road. It was Jacob who said to stop the car and back up a bit. As they did he took out some binoculars and studied the tree. There was something about it that struck him as odd. Suddenly it struck him. The trees which had fallen in the mountains had either torn up their roots or their trunks had been splintered. This one looked too clean. As he stared at the tree he noticed that some branches had been chopped of cleanly, obviously with a chainsaw. He pointed this out to Jim who had also noticed the same oddity. They all agreed that chances where that this was an ambush. Now they had spotted the trap they checked the trees and readied their weapons. Tony who was driving quickly put the car in reverse and they sped back until they came to a spot where the road was a little wider. Here they turned the car and once they had cleared the forest they stopped to discus their options.

Since this was the only feasible route through the forest and they didn't want to leave the bandits in the position to attack other people they decided to destroy the ambushing party. They carefully hid the car in a gully and used camouflage netting to hide it from sight. Jim and Jacob would lead the way while Tony would provide the backup. Carefully moving silently through the forest it took them two hours to get back to the site. They had already spotted a lookout who had hidden himself in a tree. They silently circled him and went to the main ambush site. They studied the bandits for a while before deciding on their actions. There where six bandits including two spotters. The five in the main party had set up camp a little away from the road in a hollow shaded from the road by a thicket of shrubbery. They decided that Jim and Jacob would take out the spotters first and that Tony would simultaneously open up on the main party with his M16.

Their plan went of smoothly as they took the bandits completely by surprise. While the two spotters where still tumbling down from their perches in the trees Tony took out two of the bandits with his first salvo. Before the remaining two could take cover Jim and Jacob shot them down. Cautiously Jim approached the bandit's camp while Tony and Jacob provided cover for him. When he got to the camp he checked the bandits one was still alive and moaning, he had been hit in his shoulder. Jim carefully checked him for any weapons and then cuffed him. He then motioned for the others to approach. When they got to the camp they decided that Jacob would stand guard while Jim and Tony searched the place.

Under a tarpaulin they found some looted stuff, not just foodstuff but also a lot of personal valuables as they looked further Jim's keen eye spotted some tire tracks leading away from the site. A little further in the woods Tony and Jim found several vehicles including a pickup truck and a small stash of fuel. They also found an open pit where the bandits had dumped the bodies of their victims. By the look of things not all of them had had an easy death. There where more than a dozen bodies lying there. Tony threw up violently at the site of the mass grave. Jim let him, it was a sickening sight. He had seen his fair share of dead bodies but mostly they where accident victims. This was almost too much for him as well.

After they had returned to the campsite they decided first to send Tony to fetch their own car. Jim and Jacob carried the bodies of the bandits to the pit and dumped them in their above the bodies of their victims. They stacked a lot of dead wood on top of the bodies and then using fuel from the bandits' supply they thoroughly soaked the funeral pyre in gasoline and then lit it. The fire burned fiercely once it took and the flames roared up into the sky.

By that time Tony had returned with the car. They shifted through the goods the bandits had gathered and took all the rifles, ammunition and food they'd found and stored it in their trailer. The remainder of the usable goods they stored on the pickup with they decided to take with them. They thought the extra loading space might come in handy. It would be a different journey this way and they decided to share the task of driving the pickup. They left the site before dark and passed through the woods. The night sky was lit for some time by the light from the blaze of the funeral pyre. That night they stayed in a place that was hidden from view from the road. Setting up camp behind a couple of boulders they spent the night there.

That night they posted a guard and slept uneasy. They started out late in the morning and as they looked back to the west they could still see a haze of smoke above the forest from the fire. Trough out that day they drove more cautiously and kept a watchful watch. By midday they reached the road to oaksfield and after a short meal break they reached the back road Jim had told them about early in the afternoon. The road led through a forested area with some open fields scattered in between. Keeping a sharp lookout they drove on after a while they saw evidence that people had fled this way. There where abandoned suitcases lying in the road and every now and again they saw abandoned vehicles. Next to the road they saw the remains of campfires and torn pieces of clothes, more broken down vehicles and all the assorted float some of a population running from some disaster.

Despite the desolation along the road they made good time. They stopped when they where some five miles from the city. They decided to spend the remainder of the afternoon in a clearing in a small forest from where they could observe the road without being seen themselves. They camouflaged the car as best as they could using the camouflage netting and bushes they uprooted rather than cut down so as to make sure they remained green long enough. Now that they where here, the lure for Tony became almost too strong. After much discussion and weighing their experience with the bandits they decided that they would all go. The following day they started out early. They planned on approaching the city on foot covered for the first part by the darkness of the predawn hours and then using their skills as hunters to approach the city stealthily. Jim thought that it would cost them at least the better part of the morning to approach the city if unhindered, longer if they found that the city was guarded.

Their early morning march covered the first three mile in just two hours. They saw no signs of people in the dark. At dawn they halted waiting for the light to spread. Staring in the direction of the city the noticed the glow of dying fires in the distance. Now that they where close enough they could hear the sound of sporadic gunfire in the distance at times they heard louder explosions. They exchanged worried glances at that ominous sound. It was obvious there was fighting going on in the distance, whether the fighting was between humans or man and machine they couldn't tell.

After they had rested they continued their journey. Moving stealthily they still made good time, they saw no sign of watchers human or not. At the end of the morning they approached the suburbs properly. Their first goal would be Tony's house as this was close to the cities border. This way they could both explore the city and help Tony. Before they moved into the suburbs they studied what they could see. The houses that where visible looked deserted. They could see into the street up until a crossroads. They saw some wreckage lying at the crossroads. A house had been burned down to the ground and another had collapsed. They saw that several other houses where damaged and many of the gardens and hedges where also damaged in some way. There where no sounds or people visible. Neither was there any sign of movement and at some homes there where doors open.

They studied the scene for some time until they felt safe enough to move ahead. They picked a house as a target and moved silently like ghosts to that first house. It was surrounded by a hedge. At one point an animal, maybe the families dog or cat, had been passing through the hedge often enough to create a small hole in the edge. Tony and Jim wiggled through easily enough, for Jacob being bigger it was more difficult but he took his time and he managed to squeeze through without disturbing the hedge. After passing the hedge they crept up on the house. Looking in the house they neither saw nor heard any sign of people. Moving to the rear door they found it was open.

Jim carefully opened the door and looked around. The door opened up onto the kitchen as he looked around he saw all the signs of a hasty exit. Cupboards had been rifled through and left open. Not as a thief would do it, only specific cupboards had been opened showing that whoever had done this knew what they where looking for and where it was but hadn't taken the time to tidy up after them.

Jacob and Tony came in after Jim and asked quietly if the place had been ransacked. Jim shook his head and explained why he didn't think so. Whoever had done this had made something to eat before leaving but hadn't cleaned up. Other things had also obviously been used but left behind. Some utensils had also been taken; a bread knife was missing from the knife block and some mugs where also missing. Jim was positive that if they checked the cupboards they would find other things missing as well. He also knew they would be common household items, things people would take with them if they where leaving the house for an extended period but would also have to take care of themselves.

When they explored the rest of the house they found even more evidence, clothes where taken, suitcases, bedding, in fact everything people would need when they where fleeing, questions was, what where they fleeing from? After they had checked out the house they discussed what to do next. To get to Tony's house they needed to move two streets up. They decided to avoid the streets and move through backyards and alleyways. Moving through the yard of a big house with a red roof and a old garden shed they suddenly heard a voice.

"Hey you! What the hell are you doing walking in the daylight? You'll be spotted by the tin cans that way. They'll capture you!" At that they stood stock still. It was Jacob who replied; "who's there?" He asked. "Oh Shoot! Over here, in the shed." The voice called out. As they looked at the garden shed the door opened. An elderly man beckoned them over; "quickly now, I don't want them metal heads to find me." The man opened the door quickly and pulled them in. "You're in luck; I was just fetching some tools to fix Annette's chair. Otherwise I'd never seen you and those damned tin cans would have gotten you. Well don't stand there gaping, get in!" He said. He had moved a cabinet and they could now see that it wasn't just a cabinet, for one thing most cabinets didn't opened up to small niches on hinges. In the niche a threadbare carpet proved to hide trapdoor.

When they'd climbed down the narrow ladder they came into a small room where an old lady was sitting on a couch. A chair had been turned upside down as one of its legs had turned askew. The room was decorated in an old fashioned style. To the two opposing sides where two doors. On one of the blind walls a window sill had been made and scenery painted on the wall. The other was covered by a nearly empty book case, some books lay on one of the shelves.

The old men sidled pass them and stood before them. "Now gentlemen, just 'cause you're armed don't think you can take advantage of me and my wife." Saying this he produced an old browning pistol. "Now please place your weapons against the wall behind you." The man motioned to the wall with the painted scenery. Since the old man had a gun aimed at them the complied, even though Jim figured he could have taken the man. He thought that the old man didn't mean them any harm but just wanted to be safe. As if he could read his mind the old man spoke up; "it's just to be safe, when you leave you can take them with you. Please explain to me who you are and what you where doing." Bewildered they stared at the couple. Then Jacob started explaining, when he mentioned Tony the old man stared at him startled.

When the old man was finally satisfied Jacob asked; "who are you and you mentioned 'tin cans' what did you mean? Are there truly machines out killing people?" The old man then smiled; "where are my manners. In these crazy days it's easy to forget how to be civil. My name is Alfred Johansen and this is my wife Annette." He then told them what had happened in the city as far as he knew. How at first everybody had just been shocked at the nuclear explosions in the distance and then the terrorist attacks in the city it self. He then recounted the first appearance of the machines in the neighbourhood. It hadn't been on the first day that they had appeared, although they heard later on from refugees what had happened there. Apparently this part of the city wasn't considered important enough to be controlled straight away. It was on the second day that the first refugees had appeared. Nobody in the neighbourhood had believed their stories about machines killing people. It wasn't until the third day, when the stream of refugees had steadily grown into a continuous flow of people, that they first saw the machines.


End file.
